Leicester City: History gives Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal hope of winning the Premier League

Leicester City may have stormed into a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League with victory over Southampton, putting them in the box seat as they pursue their first ever league title, but history suggests that both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal should not give up hope of catching Claudio Ranieri's team. In the previous 23 seasons, six sides have seen their lead at the summit erode away and on one occasion a team relinquished a lead bigger than the Foxes' current seven-point cushion.

Manchester United's breakdown in the title race in the 2011-12 season having been eight points clear after 32 games remains the biggest collapse by any side in the history of the Premier League at this stage, as Manchester City took the title on goal difference via Sergio Aguero's last-gasp goal against Queens Park Rangers. The team managed by Sir Alex Ferguson allowed leads going into the last six games slip on three occasions as they were caught by Arsenal in the 1997-98 term and Chelsea in the 2009-10 season.

United themselves were the beneficiaries of two comebacks with six games left when they pipped Aston Villa to the title in the inaugural season of the Premier League in 1992-93 [in one of three campaigns contested over 42 games rather than 38], while they also beat Arsenal to the top in the 2002-03 term having trailed on goal difference after 32 matches. Liverpool are the only other side to lose their lead with half a dozen matches to play, finishing behind Manchester City in the 2013-14 term.

Perhaps the most famous collapse in a title race in Premier League history came from Newcastle United, who at one stage opened up a 12-point advantage at the top before being overhauled by United in the closing stages. Kevin Keegan's infamous rant directed towards Ferguson, which came amid a run of five wins in their last 13 matches remains one of the stand out moments of the Premier League era.

Ranieri's team need 12 points from their remaining six games to be guaranteed of lifting the first league title in Leicester's history. Tottenham and Arsenal must win all of their remaining matches, with the Gunners having a game in hand, to stand any chance of catching the King Power Stadium club. Leicester need seven points to avoid the ignominy of eclipsing United as the team with the lowest points total to win the league, with the side from the 1996-97 season topping the table with just 75 points.