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EspañolArsenal break 1 Spurs record & eye another
Arsenal achieved the earliest ‘St. Totteringham’s Day’ in history on Sunday, but the Gunners still have one more record to try and break in the final nine games.
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
As covered early last week, Arsenal had the opportunity to confirm their earliest-ever finish over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, excluding seasons where the two clubs didn’t play in the same division.
The Gunners needed either a win over Chelsea, or for Spurs to fail to beat Fulham. In the end, Arsenal didn’t need to wait until their 16:30 kick-off, with Spurs themselves losing to confirm their failure to finish above the Gunners.
That result made March 1st the new record earliest date of ‘St. Totteringham’s Day’, the day invented by Arsenal fans for when they confirm a finish above their north London rivals.
But it also meant the Gunners achieved the feat with 10 games to play, a joint record shared with the 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ side. Sky Sports rounded up the previous earliest dates in the graphic below:
Arsenal still have one more north London rivalry record in their sights, with the Gunners having the chance to achieve their greatest-ever points difference over Spurs at the conclusion of the season.
The current record stands at 45 points, again achieved by the 2003/04 team playing under Arsene Wenger.
Mikel Arteta’s side sit 35 points clear of Spurs, having played a game more. So it’s still possible for Arsenal to finish 46+ points ahead of Igor Tudor’s side, but both teams will need to keep picking up the same kinds of results they have been for the remainder of the campaign.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arsenal’s primary focus is obviously on winning trophies, and they’ll value a Premier League title far more than a record-breaking finish above Spurs.
But given the way to achieve those two ends is just to keep winning matches, there’s no harm in hoping for both.
Detroit Lions trade David Montgomery to Houston Texans for draft pick
Sonic and Knuckles are no more.
The Detroit Lions traded running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans on Monday, March 2, a person with first-hand knowledge of the deal told the Free Press, less than a week after Lions general manager Brad Holmes said he would "love" to keep Montgomery in Detroit.
"Kind of want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward," Holmes said at the NFL combine last week in Indianapolis. "But obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. So those conversations are still fluid and we’ll just kind of see how it goes."
Montgomery was unhappy with his reduced role last season, when he had career-lows in rushing yards, attempts and total offensive touches while playing as the Lions' clear No. 2 running back behind Jahmyr Gibbs.
In 2023-24, Gibbs and Montgomery – nicknamed Sonic and Knuckles – formed one of the best 1-2 running back tandems in the NFL.
Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, is scheduled to make $6 million this fall in the first year of a two-year extension. The Lions save about $3.5 million in cap room with the trade, though they’ll have to use at least some of that savings to find a replacement.
The Lions do not have enough cap room or available playing time to be in the top of the running back market, but cost-effective options who could be available in free agency include Brian Robinson, Najee Harris and Arizona Cardinals running backs Michael Carter and Emari Demercado (a restricted free agent), both of whom played for new Lions offensive coordinator Petzing last season.
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: David Montgomery traded from Detroit Lions to Houston Texans for pick
Detroit Lions Trade David Montgomery
The Detroit Lions have officially made a move at running back.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Lions are trading veteran RB David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for a 5th Round Pick, sources told The Insiders.
The move comes just days after reports surfaced suggesting Montgomery “wanted out” of Detroit, a claim Montgomery publicly questioned on social media. Now, the situation has been resolved with a deal that sends the physical, downhill runner to Houston.
Why the Lions Made the Move
From Detroit’s perspective, the timing makes sense:
- Jahmyr Gibbs has clearly become the focal point of the offense
- His contract carried a notable cap hit for a reduced role
- The Lions are continuing to reshape the roster around their core
Trading Montgomery clears both cap space and snaps, allowing Detroit to fully lean into Gibbs while exploring cheaper depth options behind him.
What Houston Is Getting
For the Texans, Montgomery brings:
- Proven early-down and goal-line production
- Pass protection reliability
- Veteran leadership for a young offense
Houston adds a back who can immediately stabilize its run game and complement its existing skill talent.
The Bottom Line
David Montgomery was a key part of Detroit’s rise over the past few seasons, providing toughness and reliability during the Lions’ turnaround. But the NFL moves fast, and this trade signals Detroit’s full commitment to its new offensive identity.
More details to come as this story develops.
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