Arsenal have the best defence in the Premier League so far this season after eight matches.
The Gunners won 1-0 over the weekend with a win against Fulham, which has taken them three points clear at the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool, who have lost three league games in a row.
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Mikel Arteta‘s side managed to keep a clean sheet against Fulham, making it two games in a row without conceding a goal. The Gunners have only conceded three goals in their opening eight games, one by Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade, one by Man City’s Erling Haaland, and the other by Liverpool’s Dominik Szobozslai.
Arsenal have conceded three fewer goals than the second-best defence in the league (Man City and Sunderland), and their back four plus David Raya, is a huge reason why they should win the league title this season.
Arsenal top almost every defensive statistic in the Premier League
So far this season, Arteta’s side are head and shoulders above everybody else when it comes to defence, and it isn’t just goals conceded either.
Arsenal lead the Premier League in virtually every defensive statistic so far this season (stats sourced from Opta). Firstly, they have conceded the lowest xG against (0.6 per game) and the lowest xG against in open play (0.43 per game).
Furthermore, they have faced the fewest shots in the Premier League (8.1 per game) after eight games, and have also faced the fewest shots on target in the league (2.3 per game). They have also conceded the fewest touches in their own box (120), and the lowest xG per shot against them (0.07 per shot).
The Gunners could break 4 Premier League records
As things stand, Arsenal are on track to break one Premier League record, and also close to breaking three more in terms of defensive stats this season under Arteta.
Firstly, their xG against (0.6 per game) is currently better than the PL record, which was set by Man City in the 2017/18 season (0.64 per game). That same season, Man City broke the record for the fewest shots conceded per game (6.2 per game), with Arsenal’s currently at 8.1.
In terms of xG against for non-penalty goals, Arsenal’s 0.43 per game is almost on track to beat Man City’s Premier League record from 2018/19 which was 0.42 per game.
Finally, Arsenal could also beat Man City 2018/19 and Chelsea’s 2004/05 record of shots on target faced. The record in 2.2 per game, and Arsenal are currently at 2.3 per game. It could be the exact reason why Arsenal win the league title this season.
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