A crushing 0-3 defeat to Brighton before the international break has dealt a painful blow to Arsenal's ambitions. Mikel Arteta's side recorded their worst goal difference of 2023 and lost their sole lead in the Premier League. Manchester City have now surged to the top of the table, ahead of the Gunners by three points thanks to a thrilling 5-3 victory over Sunderland.
However, cold hard facts and statistics reveal that there’s no need for alarm bells just yet for the Gunners' fans. In fact, the north London club have started their title defence more successfully than during the championship campaign of the 2025/26 season.
This time last year, Arsenal managed just 10 points from their first five matches, achieving three wins, a draw, and a defeat. Currently, Arteta’s men sit on 12 points, courtesy of four wins in their five outings.
Trailing by three points to the leader doesn’t seem catastrophic either. In their title-winning campaign last season, the Gunners found themselves in a similar scenario, trailing Liverpool by the same three-point margin at this stage.
With ample time during the lengthy international break, the coaching staff will have the opportunity to reset the squad. Arsenal will be looking to bounce back on October 10, facing a tough home match at the Emirates against a resurgent Leeds United, who have yet to suffer defeat this season.
