Gunners breaking records - The numbers behind Arsenal’s incredible start to 2024

Arsenal began the year 2024 under a lot of pressure. Two back-to-back Premier League defeats were followed by a 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup. The Gunners had won just once in seven matches. It seemed every pundit was claiming Arsenal needed a new striker and questioning where the goals were coming from. Some were even criticising manager Mikel Arteta. But it’s been some response from Arsenal.

Following the winter break, the Gunners have been faultless in the league in 2024 and are breaking records left, right and centre. Seven consecutive wins have got Arteta’s men firmly back in the title race. But it’s the manner in which these victories are coming that really has people excited about this team. Since the turn of the year, Arsenal have been brushing teams aside, and making the Premier League look easy. We take a look at the numbers behind the red hot form of the Gunners.

The numbers behind Arsenal’s 2024 so far

In the last seven games Arsenal have scored 31 goals. In the last four matches alone they have scored 21. In this run of seven fixtures, the Gunners have won by five or more goals four times. Previously under Arteta, the North London side had only won by five or more goals four times in his entire 154 Premier League games in charge. As can be viewed in the table above, during this run, Arsenal are averaging 4.43 goals scored per game and 0.43 goals conceded per game. In the previous 154 matches under Arteta’s stewardship, the Gunners scored just 1.77gpg and conceded 1.10gpg.

Arsenal’s 6-0 demolishing at Sheffield United on Monday night broke yet another record. In this streak, Arteta’s team now holds the feat of the best scoring run of any team in Premier League history over seven consecutive games in the same season. Beating the previous record held by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the 2017/18 season, where they scored 30 goals in seven matches. Their 21 goals in the last four Premier League matches is also a competition record.

Arsenal became the first team in Premier League history to win by five or more goals for three consecutive away games. The Gunners faithful have even begun to sing, “Stadiums are empty everywhere we go.” Tearing teams apart is becoming so familiar. Arsenal are now the top scorers in the Premier League, as well as holding the record for the fewest conceded in the division. At this stage of a season, after 27 games played, Arsenal have never scored more goals than the 68 they currently have. Arteta’s team have even scored 15 goals more than the ‘invincibles’ team did in the 2003/04 season at this stage.

The goals are also coming from all over the pitch. In this run of form, Arsenal have had no less than 11 different scorers. No other Premier League team has had more different scorers in that same period. Compared to their title rivals, Liverpool have 10 different scorers in that time-frame, whilst Man City have had just four. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice, Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, Gabriel and Willam Saliba have all been on the scoresheet for the Gunners. In total Arsenal have had 15 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

When comparing Arsenal’s form in front of goal to the the top teams in Europe’s top five leagues, only Inter Milan can better the Gunners. The Italian giants have scored 69 to Arsenal’s 68. Of course no trophies are won at this stage of the season, and Arteta would swap all of these records to be Premier League champions come May. If they can continue the form they are in, there’s a serious chance they could topple Liverpool and Man City and win their first title in 20 years. Two decades on from the infamous invincibles, Arsenal are back among the challengers.