Gunning for Data: Arsenal haven't lost on my birthday in over a decade!

Whilst watching Arsenal play Leicester City on the eve of my birthday a very peculiar and unusual yet interesting thought occurred to me. It was a feeling of Deja Vu, as I remembered very specifically that at my birthday last year, I was also hoping that Arsenal would win. It did not stop there though, I was quite certain that for throughout my adult life, I have Arsenal has never lost a game around my birthday on 11 February.

Could it be possible? If it were true that would be quite remarkable. So being a half-baked statistician, which I am, I started looking at the data. I defined my Birthday fixture as Arsenal’s fixture closest to 11th February and this is what I found.

Arsenal have never lost a birthday fixture for the last 15 years ! 

In-fact, in the 23 year old history of the Premier League they have only lost my birthday fixture twice; and here is the data to show that:

• 10 February 2015 Arsenal 2 - 1 Leicester City
• 12 February 2014 Arsenal 0 – 0 Manchester United
• 9 February 2013 Sunderland 0 – 1 Arsenal
• 11 February 2012 Sunderland 1 – 2 Arsenal
• 12 February 2011 Arsenal 2 – 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
• 10 February 2010 Arsenal 1 – 0 Liverpool
• 8 February 2009 Spurs 0 – 0 Arsenal
• 11 February 2008 Arsenal 2 – 0 Blackburn Rovers
• 11 February 2007 Arsenal 2 – 1 Wigan Athletic
• 11 February 2006 Arsenal 1 – 1 Bolton Wanderers
• 14 February 2005 Arsenal 5 – 1 Crystal Palace
• 10 February 2004 Arsenal 2 – 0 Southampton
• 9 February 2003 Newcastle 1 – 1 Arsenal
• 10 February 2002 Everton 0 – 1 Arsenal
• 10 February 2001 Arsenal 1 – 0 Ipswich Town
• 13 February 2000 Arsenal 0 – 1 Liverpool 
• 6 February 1999 West Ham 0 – 4 Arsenal
• 8 February 1998 Arsenal 2 – 0 Chelsea
• 15 February 1997 Spurs 0 – 0 Arsenal
• 10 February 1996 Nottingham 0 – 1 Arsenal
• 11 February 1995 Arsenal 1 – 1 Leicester City
• 13 February 1994 Norwich 1 – 1 Arsenal
• 10 February 1993 Arsenal 0 – 1 Wimbledon

So there it is, a remarkable statistic which provides data which can explain why I have always been and will be a Gooner - they almost always give the best present!

Madhur Behl is a PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia who has supported and followed Arsenal for the past 10+ years.

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