Arsenal were beaten yet again on Sunday, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United, their fifth successive away league loss.
The result sees Arsene Wenger's side reach a nadir in the Premier League era; no Arsenal side has lost five successive away league matches since December 1984.
Their dismal run has seen them go down 2-1 to Bournemouth, 3-1 to Swansea, 1-0 to Tottenham and 2-1 to Brighton in addition to their defeat at St James' Park.
It all seemed to be going to plan for the Gunners initially, as an excellent goal from Alexandre Lacazette gave Arsenal the lead.
However, Ayoze Perez and Matt Ritchie found the net to turn the Magpies' fortunes around, and leave Wenger again searching for answers.
Indeed, Arsenal have led away to teams such as Watford, Bournemouth and Swansea previously, and have lost all of them.
The gap to the top four stays at 13 points - Tottenham are currently fourth, and can confirm a finish above their bitter rivals if they beat Brighton on Tuesday at the Amex Stadium - and the latest defeat sees Arsenal's tally of losses move to 11, equalling their worst ever total of league defeats in a season under Wenger (11 in 2005-06).
Arsenal are now a total of 33 points behind Manchester City, who are soon to be crowned champions, and they are also only 33 points clear of the rock-bottom West Brom.
5 - Arsenal have lost five successive league matches away from home for the first time since December 1984. Dystopia. #NEWARS pic.twitter.com/dsY6KoX7KW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 15, 2018
Perhaps more embarrassingly, no other club in England's top five leagues has failed to pick up a point away from home in 2018. Grimsby have just one point, but Arsenal's only equivalent is Tamworth, who lie 20th in the National League North.
The club have not lost all of their five opening top-flight away matches in a single year since 1925.
33 - Arsenal are exactly the same number of points from the bottom of the Premier League table (West Bromwich Albion: 21 points) as they are from the top of the table (Manchester City: 87 points). Par. pic.twitter.com/jcvf9dXTUO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 15, 2018
Nevertheless, Arsenal remain in the hunt for silverware this season, even if Champions League qualification through the league appears impossible.
The Gunners will face Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals, and are surely aware that their only hope of gatecrashing the top-four party comes through winning the Champions League's sister competition.
