Arsenal’s position at the top of the Premier League is built on a simple but increasingly powerful advantage: opponents find it exceptionally difficult to create meaningful chances against them.
Mikel Arteta’s team have won eight of their opening nine league matches in 2026/27, collecting 24 points from a possible 27. Their record includes four wins from four at home and four victories from five away, giving them an average of 2.67 points per game.
They have scored only 14 league goals, fewer than some of their title rivals, but have conceded just five. That represents an average of 0.56 goals against per match and gives Arsenal the best defensive record in the division.
At the current rate, Arsenal would concede approximately 21 goals across a 38-match season. That would be an improvement on the 27 they allowed while winning the title in 2025/26.
This is not simply a defence producing impressive results. The underlying numbers show a team systematically preventing opponents from reaching dangerous areas.
Six clean sheets in nine matches
Arsenal have kept six clean sheets in their first nine Premier League games. That means they have prevented the opposition from scoring in two-thirds of their fixtures.
Their sequence of results since the defeat at Brighton has been particularly revealing. Arsenal beat Leeds United 2-1 before recording consecutive league victories without conceding against Nottingham Forest, Everton and Liverpool.
The 1-0 win at Anfield was the clearest demonstration of their defensive maturity. Arsenal did not need to dominate the scoreline or chase a second goal recklessly. An early lead was protected through control, positioning and a willingness to accept that a narrow victory was enough.
Across the season, both teams have scored in only a minority of Arsenal’s matches. They have conceded more than once just once, in the 3-0 defeat at Brighton, and no Arsenal league fixture has featured more than three goals.
That creates an extremely difficult game state for opponents. Once Arsenal score, the opposition understands that one goal may be enough to decide the match.
Arsenal allow the fewest shots
..
