The 2025/26 Premier League looks set to be the most promising season yet for Arsenal to lift their first domestic title since 2004, as the Gunners lead the table after 23 games, four points ahead of second-placed Manchester City.

Apart from the London team's great effectiveness in set pieces, which has led some to nickname them 'Set Piece FC', there is another fact that stands out in Arsenal's Premier League season so far: the absence of a prolific goalscorer.

The Gunners are the second-worst team in the Premier League in terms of top scorers. Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard are Arteta's leading strikers in the EPL, both with five goals so far, placing them just ahead of bottom-placed Wolves, whose top scorers are Mane, Bueno, Hwang and Krejci with two goals each.

The top scorers for Everton (Thierno Barry), Sunderland (Brobbey), Forest (Gibbs-White) and Burnley (Flemming/Anthony) are tied with Arsenal's top scorers on five goals.

Paradoxically, it is precisely the Sky Blues, who are hot on their heels in the title race, who do have a lethal figure in attack in the form of Erling Haaland, who is in fact the tournament's top scorer at the moment with 20 goals.

However, a surprising Aston Villa, who are also 4 points behind Arsenal and level with Manchester City, do not have a lethal striker in the competition either, but even so, the 8 goals Ollie Watkins has scored so far are more than the 5 scored by Gyokeres or Trossard.

Arsenal Gyokeres

Goals shared, Glory earned?

Many wonder how Arsenal can be leaders and clear favourites to lift the trophy at the end of the season if they do not have a prolific striker, and the answer is quite simple: sharing is caring.

Although the Gunners do not have one of the top scorers in the competition, the Emirates Stadium outfit are the second highest scoring team (42) so far this season, behind only Manchester City (47).

As mentioned above, this is possible because Arsenal's goals in the competition are not concentrated on just one player, but are spread fairly evenly. In fact, the London side has four players who have scored four times in the league (Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze), while both Magalhaes and Zubimendi have scored three goals each.

On the way to setting new scoring low

Strange as it may seem, other teams have also managed to become champions of England in the Premier League era without having a relentless goalscorer in the championship.

Chelsea and Manchester City hold this record after winning the Premier League with Frank Lampard and Ilkay Gundogan as their top scorers, respectively, both with 13 goals each.

History has shown several times that it is possible, and the truth is that the Gunners could set an unprecedented milestone in English football's top flight.

If Arsenal's Premier League goalscorers continue at this rate, Arteta's team could claim silverware in the domestic championship for the first time since 2004 with a top scorer failing to reach even 10 goals, thus shattering the record held by Chelsea and Manchester City.

Premier League champions with the least prolific scorers

13 Frank Lampard (Chelsea, 2004-05); Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City, 2020-21)
14 Eric Cantona (Manchester United, 1995-96)
15 Mark Hughes (Man Utd, 1992-93), Teddy Sheringham (Man Utd, 2000-01), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City, 2021-22)
16 Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal, 1997-98), Frank Lampard (Chelsea, 2005-06)
17 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, 2006-07)

L. Trossard

Achievements