Arsenal have set a new English record for the most consecutive matches without conceding three goals, following Saturday’s win over Bournemouth.
Arsenal held on for three points in a 3-2 victory away to Bournemouth this weekend, and by avoiding conceding a late equaliser the Gunners extended their run of matches without letting in three goals to 116 games in all competitions.
Orbinho reports that this is now the best run by any team in the history of English football, now spanning over two years of fixtures.
The last time Arsenal let three in was against Luton Town all the way back in December 2023.
There have been a lot of obstacles to overcome along the way. Notably, Arsenal have played 23 matches against big-six teams, three games against Bayern Munich, three against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, and two against Real Madrid during that period.
Then add in all the other matches, the domestic cup games where youth players have been given a chance, the six times Arsenal have been reduced to 10 men, the countless defensive injuries. There were a lot of opportunities to end the run in there.
No one should be under the impression that a top team like Arsenal should be conceding three goals or more on a regular basis. But the expectation is certainly that it will happen at least a few times.
Bayern, PSG, and Real Madrid often dominate their respective leagues, they all sit in the Champions League top-eight right now, yet all three have conceded three goals in a game this season already.
The odds were always stacked against the Gunners going this long without letting in three on a single occasion.
Every match now will add another game to the record total, and Arsenal will want to keep the run going for as long as possible. It’s obviously a lot easier to pick up wins on a regular basis if you never have to score more than three to achieve one.
The rest of the month will bring plenty of challenges though, with Liverpool up next, the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea coming up, as well as a trip away to Inter Milan and the visit of Manchester United.
Arsenal will need to be on top form at both ends to remain top of the Premier League and competing in all other competitions.