Arsenal are challenging at the top of the Premier League for the second season in a row, and a strong defence has been paramount to this.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have been two of Arsenal’s best performers in the campaign, Gabriel earning particular recognition as he is set to be rewarded with a bumper new contract.
Arsenal have the best defence in the Premier League, conceding just 28 times in 35 games, and just eight of these came in 2024.
Mikel Arteta has built an outstanding defensive unit, with Declan Rice, Ben White and goalkeeper David Raya also contributing heavily to Arsenal’s solidity at the back, and this has particularly shown on set-pieces.
Arsenal are strong in both attacking and defensive set-pieces, and assistant coach Nicolas Jover has been credited for the way he has organised the squad in both boxes.
Arsenal rank top of the Premier League for defending headed shots
Journalist James Benge has now highlighted a remarkable stat: Arsenal have conceded just five headed shots in the six-yard box from set pieces all season.
This ranks top of the league, with Everton second on nine and Liverpool third on 11.
At the other end of the table, Newcastle ranks 18th on 21, with the recently relegated Sheffield United equal to them, but Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in last place, with 26 headed shots allowed in 34 games.
This stat highlights the remarkable differences in set-piece organisation between Arsenal and Tottenham, and this was particularly noticeable in the North London derby.
Arsenal set-pieces helped expose Tottenham in North London derby victory
Arsenal went 3-0 up by half-time in last week’s North London derby victory over Tottenham, and set-pieces were the difference in a hostile atmosphere.
The visitors took the lead as Bukayo Saka whipped in a cross which was headed into his own net by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario found himself constantly frustrated by Ben White.
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Arsenal added a third when Declan Rice whipped in a perfect corner to find Kai Havertz, who headed in from close range, and the German may have been surprised at the space he found himself in.
Arteta has emphasised the importance of set-piece defending, as Arsenal hardly give teams a sniff from corners or free kicks without a defensive mishap, whilst Spurs pay little attention to their organisation and allow teams easier chances within their own box.