Arsenal may be flying, but watch out Arsene Wenger... November is the month the Gunners always

Arsenal have started the Premier League season well and are second

Gunners only trail Manchester City on goal difference at top of the table 

But historically they have struggled in November every season

Arsene Wenger's side have their lowest average points in that month

Gunners face Tottenham and Manchester United in coming weeks 

Remember, remember the curse of November, Arsene.

Arsene knows. He knows not to champion his side as contenders for the title on the eve of the calendar's most cruel month.

For there is something about November that makes Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger very nervous.

Arsene Wenger may be smiling at the moment, but he is facing his most difficult month

Under Wenger Arsenal have a significantly worse record in November than the rest of the year

The Gunners put in a good display to beat Sunderland and are joint top of the Premier League

Indeed, rather than accept the plaudits as the Gunners sat momentarily top following Saturday's 4-1 win at Sunderland, he was guarded, instead pointing to the pitfalls of a month which ranks as the worst of his 20 years in charge.

And here is why, a points-per-game ratio of just 1.59. It is the month where questions are asked of his management and, invariably, his future. Compare that to 2.18 points per game in March, the month where, in recent seasons, Arsenal have made a belated bid for the top.

The November goal difference also tells its own story - plus 32 compared to a massive plus 109 in April.

So what does go wrong when the clocks go back?

But Wenger will need his team to avoid their usual November struggles to win the title

Last year they began November with a thrashing by Bayern Munich in the Champions League

Twelve months ago they had won five on the spin in the Premier League before a November which opened with a 5-1 drubbing at Bayern Munich and was followed by a fortunate home draw against Spurs, defeat at West Brom and a draw away to Norwich. 

A month which had started with talk of the title ended with calls for the Frenchman to go.

Go back two years, even. And, after back-to-back defeats to Swansea and Manchester United, one banner inside the Emirates Stadium read: 'Enough is enough. Wenger out'.

Three years ago? Again, a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in which the only goal was scored by his former captain and striker Robin van Persie.

Let's go back to 2012, this one was particularly nasty. On November 3, again at Old Trafford, Arsenal lost 2-1. Who scored the opener in his first appearance against his old club? Yes, Van Persie. Worst of all, however, was the 'vile and unfunny abuse' - as Sportsmail put it - to which Wenger was subject throughout the game. They went on to drop six more points with draws against Fulham, Aston Villa and Everton.