The alarm bells are ringing at Arsenal.
Sure, Mikel Arteta’s side are still four points clear at the top of the Premier League table, but for the third game in a row, they dropped points on Sunday.
Worse than that, the North Londoners lost to Manchester United, and it was also the third league game on the bounce in which they failed to score a goal from open play.
Odegaard-Arteta-Arsenal
Arsenal are still in the driving seat, but their attack is a huge concern, and there is now one player who seems to be having an even worse season than Viktor Gyokeres.
Why Arsenal's attack is struggling
Arsenal may look fluid in the Champions League, but in the Premier League, they are most certainly not, and the numbers prove as much.
PL Goals vs Open Play Goals
Team
Man City
Arsenal
Man Utd
Chelsea
B'mouth
Villa
Liverpool
Brentford
For example, while the Gunners have scored a pretty impressive 42 goals so far, which is the second most in the league, only 22 of them have come in open play, which is just the eighth best.
Now, some might say it doesn't matter how the goals come, but the last three games, in which the North Londoners had one goal go in their favour, and an own goal at that, suggest otherwise.
Mikel-Arteta
Looking deeper into the statistics, things become even more interesting, as, according to FOTmob, Arteta's side have amassed an expected goals figure of 40.5 across the season so far, and while that is the fourth most in the league, it is only 1.1 expected goals fewer than top scorers Manchester City.
Moreover, the Gunners have taken an average of 4.9 shots on target per match, compared to City's 5.1; created 68 big chances, compared to City's 73; and missed 46, compared to City's 48.
Arsenal's PL Stats
Statistics
Expected Goals
Big Chances
Big Chances Missed
Shots on Target per Match
Touches in the Opposition Box
Accurate Long Balls per Match
Penalties Awarded
All Stats via FOTmob
In other words, it is certainly true that Arteta's side have not created as many chances as their biggest rivals this year, but it also seems true that they've not been as clinical with the chances they have created as some of their opponents.
For example, according to Sofascore, United produced an expected goals figure of 0.71 and created two big chances on Sunday, but came away with three goals.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts
On the other hand, the hosts produced an expected goals figure of 1.19, but since that came from a collection of lower-chance shots, they had only one big chance.
In other words, it is a combination of not creating enough significant chances and wasting the ones they do create that has led Arsenal to this position, something that could also be said about one of their summer signings, who is struggling even more than Gyokeres.
Arsenal signing has been worse than Gyokeres
There is no denying that Gyokeres has struggled at Arsenal this season.
However, for all the criticism he has received, much of it justified, he has still racked up a tally of nine goals and one assist.
Unfortunately for Arteta, another of his summer signings does not have as many goal involvements to hide his poor form behind: Noni Madueke.
Noni Madueke for Arsenal
Yes, the former Chelsea star, who joined the club for around £52m in the summer, has been taking some flak recently for his underwhelming, often frustrating performances.
Accurately described as an “agent of chaos” by writer Adam Keys, the winger is excellent at getting in behind opposition defenders and breaking into the box.
Noni Madueke Arsenal stats in 2025-26
However, as was incredibly evident in his cameo against United, he is so very prone to then wasting the opportunity he has created.
Whether it’s running the ball out of play, overhitting a pass, or just blasting a shot wide, the Englishman’s lack of end product is becoming a real concern.
Sure, he did score a brilliant brace against Club Brugge and get a goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but his form in the Premier League is beyond poor.
The game against the Red Devils marked his 25th in a row without a goal, which is a statistic that would be worrying for a midfielder, let alone a winger brought in to add something to a title-chasing side.
Madueke-Arsenal
Ultimately, Madueke's skill is undeniable, but if he cannot find some end product and soon, all the frustration from Arsenal fans, which has been aimed at Gyokeres over the last few months, will come his way.
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