2 weeks ago
Arsenal person done it. Finally. After 22 years, they are champions of England erstwhile again. Manchester City’s 1-1 tie astatine Bournemouth connected Tuesday nighttime intends Arsenal clasp an unassailable lead astatine nan apical of nan Premier League pinch 1 crippled remaining. It’s their 14th top-flight crown overall, their 4th Premier League title, and their first since nan Invincibles run of 2003-04.
The defining number for that squad was zero. Zero defeats crossed an full convention season. But what numbers champion specify this Arsenal side? Here are 10 that show nan communicative of their title-winning campaign.
A defining characteristic of Arsenal nether Mikel Arteta has been their power from group pieces. It has ever been a attraction of their play, but it has been peculiarly pronounced this campaign. They person scored 28 of their 68 convention goals from dead-ball situations, 3 much than immoderate different side.
They person been astir vulnerable from corners, scoring 18 goals from them successful 2025-26, which is simply a caller Premier League record. It says a batch astir nan guidance of nan Premier League that nan grounds – overtaking nan 16 scored by Oldham Athletic successful 1992-93 – has been surgery doubly this season. First by Arsenal, who person nan outright record, and past by Tottenham, who person scored 17 goals from corners this season.
Arsenal’s effectiveness from corners has, astatine times, been utilized arsenic a instrumentality pinch which to hit them. Critics opportunity their reliance connected group pieces makes their shot predictable and overly functional. There whitethorn beryllium immoderate truth to that perception, but elite sides person agelong understood nan worth of marginal gains. Arsenal person simply go amended than everyone other astatine exploiting them.
With his cleanable expanse against Burnley connected Monday night, David Raya moved connected to 19 shutouts for nan season. That drew him level pinch nan astir ever recorded by an Arsenal goalkeeper successful a Premier League campaign, matching David Seaman’s totals from 1993-94 and 1998-99. If he manages different 1 connected nan last time against Crystal Palace, Raya will group nan outright grounds for nan club.
The Spaniard was awarded nan Golden Glove grant for a 3rd consecutive play and is only nan 4th goalkeeper to triumph nan grant successful 3 successive seasons, aft Pepe Reina (Liverpool), Joe Hart (Manchester City) and Ederson (Manchester City). Raya is now 1 Golden Glove distant from equalling nan all-time grounds of four, jointly held by Petr Cech and Hart.
Arsenal’s title triumph has been built connected their protect strength. They person conceded conscionable 26 convention goals this season, astatine slightest six less than immoderate different side, and nan second-fewest they person conceded successful a Premier League run down 1998-99 (17).
That rock-solid rearguard has travel to nan fore successful nan run-in. Since their 2-1 conclusion astatine Manchester City a period ago, they person won 4 games successful a statement without conceding a goal.
The underlying numbers are conscionable arsenic impressive. Arsenal person allowed chances worthy only 0.74 expected goals per crippled this season. As acold backmost arsenic Opta person precocious expected goals information (2012-13), that is nan fourth-best fig ever recorded successful a Premier League campaign. Arsenal person conceded conscionable 8.2 shots per crippled and 2.4 shots connected target per game, nan champion figures crossed Europe’s apical 5 leagues this season.
At nan bosom of Arsenal’s protect excellence has been their centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. They person started together successful 26 convention games this season, pinch Arsenal winning 17 of them. That full is joint-highest successful nan section alongside Liverpool duo Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk, contempt nan second brace starting together a batch much often (35 matches).
Among centre-back pairings to commencement together much than 5 times this season, Saliba and Gabriel person comfortably nan champion cleanable expanse rate. Arsenal person kept 15 cleanable sheets successful their 26 starts together, averaging 1 each 1.7 games.
For overmuch of Arteta’s tenure, Arsenal did not really person a problem competing pinch nan teams astatine nan apical of nan table. Since nan commencement of nan 2022-23 season, nan first of Arsenal’s 3 consecutive second-placed finishes, they person taken much points (76) against chap “big-six” rivals than anyone else. They person mislaid conscionable six of 40 specified games.
The teams they should person beaten person been nan existent problem. In 2023-24, erstwhile they past went toe-to-toe pinch Manchester City successful a title race, location were back-to-back defeats against West Ham and Fulham complete Christmas that derailed their chances. The play prior, location was a limp conclusion distant to Everton successful February, and past 2 crazy draws successful consecutive games against West Ham (2-2) and Southampton (3-3) successful April.
This season, however, Arsenal person been ruthless against weaker guidance (at slightest successful convention array terms). They’ve won 17 of their 19 matches against teams presently successful nan bottommost half of nan table, taking 53 points and conceding conscionable six goals successful those games. They’ve taken an mean of 2.8 points per crippled against bottom-half sides this season, which is by acold nan champion complaint of immoderate team, and comfortably exceeds Manchester City’s 2.3, who travel next.
It was rather fitting that a tense but resolute 1-0 triumph complete relegated Burnley yet sealed nan title.
Arsenal person been nary strangers to starring crossed nan past 4 seasons. The problem has been remaining location erstwhile nan euphony stops. Come nan extremity of nan play connected Sunday, they will person led nan convention for 238 days this season, 204 much days than Liverpool and a immense 229 much days than City. This clip they person made it count.
That hasn’t ever been nan case. In 2022-23, Arsenal spent 232 days apical of nan league, 206 much than eventual winners Manchester City (42), but could not get complete nan line. That is still nan grounds for nan astir days spent apical by a broadside who’ve grounded to spell connected to triumph nan title.
In fact, since nan commencement of 2022-23, Arsenal will person spent 562 days apical of nan Premier League astatine nan extremity of this season, 207 much than immoderate different club. Until now, they had small reward to show for it.
As these numbers laic bare, Arsenal’s title has been built connected protect power alternatively than free-flowing expansive attacking football.
Still, summertime signing Viktor Gyökeres has enjoyed a productive debut season, scoring 21 goals successful each competitions, and 14 successful nan Premier League. He is nan first subordinate to people 20-plus goals successful each competitions successful his first Arsenal play since Alexis Sánchez (25 successful 2014-15). Before that, only Thierry Henry had achieved it successful nan Premier League era (26 successful 1999-2000).
Yet, 14 convention goals is an unusually humble tally for nan apical scorer of title winners. Only 2 Premier League champions person had a apical goalscorer decorativeness pinch less goals: Frank Lampard scored 13 for Chelsea successful 2004-05, and İlkay Gündoğan scored 13 for Manchester City successful 2020-21. With 1 crippled to go, Gyökeres finds himself level pinch Eric Cantona, who scored 14 successful Manchester United’s 1995-96 title-winning campaign.
It felt fitting that Arsenal’s last crippled earlier nan title was mathematically secured ended successful a 1-0 victory. They person won by that scoreline 8 times successful nan convention this season, their highest full since 1998-99, erstwhile they recorded 9 specified wins.
Since their defeat to Manchester City a period ago, Arsenal person won 4 consecutive games without conceding a goal. Three of those wins person travel by a 1-0 scoreline. Their protect resilience has defined nan season, but it has been particularly important during nan run-in.
Physicality has ever been cardinal to Arteta’s imagination for Arsenal. The club’s recruitment nether him has consistently prioritised height, athleticism and physicality alongside method quality. However, that is reflected not only successful Arsenal’s set-piece dominance, but besides successful their moving metrics.
Remarkably, Arsenal person covered much region than their opponents successful 35 of their 37 convention games this season, much than immoderate different broadside successful nan division. Leeds United rank second, having done truthful 32 times.
Usually, precocious moving numbers are associated pinch teams that walk agelong periods without possession. That’s not rather nan lawsuit here, though, arsenic Arsenal mean 56.1% possession, nan fourth-highest fig successful nan Premier League. When nan going has sewage tough, they’ve been capable to thrust nan athleticism and activity complaint of figures for illustration Declan Rice to get them complete nan statement successful tight matches.
Finally, a connection for nan man who made each of this possible. Arteta’s translator of Arsenal has been gradual, demanding and, ultimately, hugely impressive. Comparing nan squad he inherited to nan broadside that hit Burnley highlights conscionable really extended his rebuild has been.
At 44 years and 54 days old, Arteta becomes nan second-youngest head to triumph nan Premier League. Only José Mourinho was younger erstwhile he guided Chelsea to nan title successful some 2004-05 (42 years and 94 days old) and again successful 2005-06 (43 years and 94 days old).
With Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City astatine nan extremity of nan season, Arteta will go nan longest-serving head presently successful nan Premier League. Having already spent much than six years astatine Arsenal, it is easy to hide conscionable really young he still is. That could beryllium worrying for rivals – really galore much campaigns does nan Spaniard person successful him?
This is an article by Opta Analyst
