Arsenal suffered disappointing defeat against Burnley after Aubameyang scored an owngoal in 73 minute at the Emirates stadium on Sunday, that drop Mikel Arteta’s side to 15th on the League table of relegation zone
Arsenal have endured a seriously disappointing start to the 2020-21 season and, unless they can turn things around, they are currently on course for their worst Premier League campaign on record.
Their worst-ever Premier League start was confirmed in November after a defeat to Wolves saw them collect just 13 points from their first 10 games – their lowest tally after so many games since 1981-82.
Then, a week later in December, Mikel Arteta became the first Arsenal boss since Bertie Mee in the 1960s to lose his first two north London derbies after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Jose Mourinho’s side.
Things are not looking pretty at the Emirates at the minute and, though it is still highly unlikely, mischievous whispers have asked the question: could Arsenal get relegated from the Premier League?
When was the last time Arsenal were relegated?
Arsenal have never been relegated from the Premier League (since the 1992-93 beginnings) but they have been relegated from England’s top division.
However, the last time it happened was at the start of the 20th century, during the 1912-13 season, when, as Woolwich Arsenal, they finished bottom of the old First Division.
That season they won just three league matches, losing 23 and finished the campaign with just 18 points. They were 10 points adrift of safety, with Chelsea avoiding relegation with a total of 28 points
The manager of the club at the time of their relegation in 1912-13 was George Morrell.
The Gunners returned to the top flight for the 1919-20 season – the first official season after the First World War – as part of the Football League’s desire to expand the number of teams in the competition.
Though the circumstances of Arsenal’s elevation were a source of controversy at the time (they finished fifth in the Second Division before the suspension of action), the club have remained in the top division ever since – for over a century.
According to Goal, Arsenal have firmly established themselves as one of England’s big clubs – forming part of the traditional ‘top six’ – thanks mainly to periods of sustained success in the 1990s into the 2000s and 2010s.
Prior to that, their best success was enjoyed when they won a number of league titles and cups in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
How many times have Arsenal been relegated?
Arsenal have only ever been relegated once in their history. That relegation came in the disappointing 1912-13 season.
However, they have come close on a number of occasions. While it seems difficult to imagine nowadays, the Gunners flirted with relegation from the First Division in the 1970s.
They finished 16th in 1974-75, just four seasons after they won a league and FA Cup double, and finished 17th in 1975-76.
They were just four points from safety in 1974-75 and, though they finished lower in the table the following season, they were actually safer – six points ahead of the drop zone.
Since that low point, the Gunners have consistently been top-half challengers and they have never finished lower than 12th (in 1994-95).
Everton follow Arsenal as the second longest-serving member of the top league in England, having been part of it for an uninterrupted period since the 1954-55 season.
Liverpool are not far behind Everton, having been part of the First Division (now Premier League) since 1962-63, last being relegated in 1953-54.
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