Arsenal finished 2024 as they started it - unbeatable and smashing in goals.
They closed out the year with a run of eight wins and two draws in their final 10 matches in all competitions and racked up more points per game than any team in England's top four divisions, but two problems stand in their way of finally ending their title drought.
The first is in the red half of Merseyside, with Liverpool nine points ahead of Arsenal at 18 games played each.
The other is the state of Bukayo Saka's injured hamstring, which required surgery and is a body blow to a team who were just threatening to hit top gear after a stuttering first few months of the season.