Arsenal and Man City make history in race for quadruple trophies
Arsenal and Manchester City chase historic quadruple as domestic cup ties await
Arsenal and Manchester City have created history by becoming the first two English clubs to reach March while still in contention for the quadruple.
Both sides remain in the hunt for the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Champions League.
It marks the first time two top-flight sides have entered the business end of the season with a clean sweep of silverware still a mathematical possibility.
The two title rivals are set to meet in the EFL Cup final later this month, guaranteeing that at least one side’s pursuit will end shortly.
Before their Wembley showdown, the Gunners face League One outfit Mansfield in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s men face a stiffer test in the same competition, travelling to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle United.
Following the Champions League knockout draw, the Premier League’s top two cannot meet in Europe until the final in May.
Celtic’s benchmark and English near-misses
Winning all four major trophies remains the ultimate rarity in British football.
Scottish giants Celtic famously achieved the feat in the 1966-67 campaign, culminating in their European Cup triumph over Inter Milan.
That historic squad, all born within 30 miles of Celtic Park, swept all before them to set a benchmark that has never been matched south of the border.
While Manchester United’s class of 1999 and City’s 2023 vintage secured historic trebles, neither reached the spring fighting on all four fronts.
Both iconic sides exited the League Cup at the quarter-final stage, ending their quadruple dreams in the winter months.
Liverpool did manage a variation of the feat in 1983-84, securing the First Division, European Cup and League Cup.
Recent history suggests heartbreak
In terms of longevity, Liverpool’s 2021-22 campaign stands as the closest an English club has come to the complete set.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds had already lifted both domestic cups before missing out on the league title by a single point on the final day.
Their heartbreak was compounded six days later with a narrow defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Chelsea also flirted with history that same season, reaching late February with four trophies in sight.
However, penalty shootout defeats to Liverpool in both domestic finals left the Blues with a consolation haul of the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup.
The Stamford Bridge club also went tantalisingly close in 2006-07 under Jose Mourinho, only to fall short in the two biggest competitions.
Manchester United faced a similar fate in 2008-09, proving how difficult it is to sustain a challenge across four distinct competitions.
