**The 2025/26 Premier League season has been one to remember as we won our first title in 22 years.**
We picked up 85 points throughout the campaign, which culminated in Martin Odegaard hoisting the famous trophy aloft in our final match at Selhurst Park.
But how did the class of 26 reach the top? Adrian Clarke has been looking at our matches all season and has given his tactical insight into how this squad etched it's name into our history!
FABULOUS FRONT RUNNERS
-----------------------
Over the course of the past four seasons we have grown accustomed to setting the pace in a title race, but this year we handled the lead with more confidence than ever before.
Spending 238 nights sitting on top of the table – including 200 consecutive days between October and April – Mikel Arteta’s side dealt with the pressure of being front runners quite superbly.
Days spent at the top of the Premier League
**Team**
**Days top of table**
Arsenal
238
Liverpool
34
Manchester City
9
Chelsea
2
Our game management was also excellent in matches where we opened the scoring.
Adjusting our tactics to the game state, often with a focus on not conceding from positions of strength, we were by far the strongest outfit after taking the lead.
Winning 24 of 27 games where we scored first, losing just once, nobody came close to matching our comfort when sat in front.
Record when scoring first
Team
Matches
Wins
Average Points
Arsenal
27
24
2.74
Nottingham Forest
11
8
2.45
Aston Villa
16
12
2.44
Manchester United
24
17
2.42
Liverpool
22
16
2.41
ADAPTABLE TACTICS
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The depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad, coupled with a willingness to adjust our strategy on a game-by-game basis, were notable differences across 2025/26.
In 2022/23 and 2023/24 the manager started all 38 Premier League matches in his favoured 4-3-3, with the system and style steadfastly remaining the same.
Last term, with major injury headaches forcing change, we occasionally experimented with 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 - but this time around the manager was happy to frequently switch between shapes.
So much so that just under 37% of our matches saw us line up in a 4-2-3-1.
Tactics used by Mikel Arteta
**Tactic**
**25/26**
**24/25**
**23/24**
**22/23**
4-3-3
24
30
38
38
4-2-3-1
14
2
0
0
4-4-2
0
6
0
0
Keen to use Declan Rice in a slightly deeper role, he lined up in a double pivot pairing alongside Martin Zubimendi on many occasions. They dovetailed nicely, as did Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly in recent weeks too.
The introduction of Eberechi Eze, a natural No.10 who wants to play higher than Martin Odegaard, also made 4-2-3-1 a more attractive set-up for Arteta than in the past.
Using two formations provided a little more tactical unpredictability, allowing us to adopt a horses-for-courses approach depending on the opponent, and player availability.
THE GREATEST DEFENCE
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Arsenal’s defensive spine of David Raya, Gabriel Maghalaes, William Saliba and Declan Rice is the envy of world football.
All four are brilliant players, but our success at nullifying the opposition is also very much a collective effort.
Pressing, for example, is a big part of our game, with Brighton & Hove Albion the only side to have regained possession inside the final third more often than us in 2025/26.
Playing with aggression, but also measured discipline, all the outfield players protected goalkeeper Raya superbly.
While the Spaniard delivered a string of sensational saves, he was also by some distance the least busy custodian in the division.
Goals conceded v Expected goal conceded
**Team**
**Goals conceded**
**Expected Goals Conceded**
Arsenal
27
28.30
Manchester City
35
44.21
These stats (above) highlight how much better we were than everybody else in the Premier League at preventing opponents from having opportunities to score.
A record-equalling six opponents failed to have a shot on target against us, and Raya’s 19 clean sheets were his personal best in a campaign.
Without the ball, we are outstanding.
Defensive stats in 2025/26
**Shots on Target Faced**
**Opponent Touches in Box**
Arsenal - 90
Arsenal - 618
Manchester City - 127
Manchester City - 713
Manchester United - 141
Liverpool - 853
STATS LEADERS
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From an attacking perspective, new signing Viktor Gyokeres led the way with some impressive numbers.
Scoring 14 league goals, twice as many as the closest teammate, the Swede’s conversion rate proved to be among the very best in the division.
Of all the players to reach double figures for goals, only Brentford’s Igor Thiago was more ruthless than Gyokeres’ 25.45% success rate with shots.
Conversion rates 25/26 (min 2 goals)
**Player**
**Conversion rate**
Viktor Gyokeres
25.45%
Martin Zubimendi
18.52%
Mikel Merino
18.18%
Gabriel Jesus
15.79%
Eberechi Eze
12.28%
Declan Rice’s all-round value to the side is enormous, and that is reflected in how he topped our rankings for both chances created and possession won.
While 27 of his 63 key passes were from set pieces, Rice finished the campaign joint-second with Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard for chances created in open play.
And when it comes to ball recoveries, he was very much our main man…
Premier League stats: 2025/26
**Player**
**Chances Created**
**Player**
**Possession Won**
Rice
63
Rice
180
Saka
61
Saka
117
Odegaard
39
Zubimendi
116
Trossard
36
Saliba
113
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Maghalaes also deserve a mention for their numbers.
Saka won possession inside the final third 27 times, the most in the division, while here at Arsenal he led the way for open play key passes (49) and dribbles completed (50).
Gabriel is not only the ‘King of Brazil’ but also our undisputed king of blocks.
Throwing himself in the way of goal bound efforts, he repelled 34 attempts in total.
Defensive blocks in 2025/26
Player
Total blocks
Gabriel
34
Rice
12
Hincapie
9
MASTERS OF THE SET PIECE
--------------------------
We made history in 2025/26 by scoring 19 goals from corners, the most in Premier League history.
Frightening opponents with our accurate deliveries and determined movement inside the box, they represented a 35% share of all our goals.
That is the highest percentage of any title winner since the competition began in 1992.
We have a very tall side, and aerial strength inside both boxes was an undoubted factor in our success.
No one scored more headed goals than us (16) over the course of the season, and when it came to defending set plays, we were also terrific.
Showing big improvement in this department, Arteta’s men conceded just seven times from dead ball situations – the joint lowest in the division.
Set piece stats
Club
Goals Conceded - Set Pieces
Club
XG Against - Set Pieces
Arsenal
7
Arsenal
6.49
Brighton
7
Brentford
9.94
Brentford
8
Manchester City
10.46
Fulham
9
Newcastle United
11.19
Tottenahm
10
Brighton
11.7
TOP CLASS DISCIPLINE
--------------------
We are the first team in Premier League history not to concede a penalty or receive a red card in a single campaign.
That shows how sound the players’ decision making was throughout the season.
No other team conceded less than two spot kicks, and we also racked up the fewest yellow cards in the league too.
For a side who like to dominate possession, we also ensured that we were not reckless in our positioning.
Keeping our shape well, the Gunners conceded just one goal from a fast break all season long, another joint-best in 2025/26.
DEPTH GOT US OVER THE LINE
---------------------------
Our recruitment strategy last summer was based around strengthening the depth of the squad, and that policy paid off handsomely.
Able to rest and rotate players more freely, safe in the knowledge it was not unduly weakening his starting XI, the manager simply had a lot more options up his sleeve in 2025/26.
Results prove his decision-making was also very good, while the number of his substitutes who impacted games, reflect well on his in-game choices.
Contributions by substitutes
Team
Goals and assists
Arsenal
23
Brighton
18
Aston Villa
16
Bournemouth
16
Eleven goals came via subs, and when you factor in another 12 assists from replacements, we equalled our joint record of 23 direct goal involvements from substitutes in a Premier League campaign, dating back to 2009/10.
The quality of our bench allowed us to put our foot down after half-time on numerous occasions.
Scoring more and conceding less than anyone else, our second half goal difference was more than twice as good as the nearest rivals.
Second half stats
Team
Second Half Goals Scored
Team
Second Half Goals Conceded
Team
Second Half Goal Difference
Arsenal
41
Arsenal
17
Arsenal
24
Manchester United
40
Brighton
21
Manchester City
11
Liverpool
39
Manchester City
25
Brighton
11
The depth of our squad, their collective spirit and resilience, and the tremendous focus the players and staff consistently produced ensured this was a season to remember.
A genuine team effort, we absolutely deserved to be Premier League champions by seven clear points.
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