Football Features

    Look away Man Utd – The best stats and records from Arsenal’s 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United

    By Harry Edwards

    Published: 21:56, 4 March 2024

    Arsenal made more history in their 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United on Monday night.

    The last to play of the Premier League title contenders, there was a little bit of pressure on the Gunners. They had seen Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest in the ninth minute of injury time and Manchester City come from behind to beat Manchester United.

    It left Arsenal five points behind Liverpool and four off Man City, with even the most optimistic of Gunners fans surely worrying about an upset. Everything on paper pointed to a comfortable Arsenal win, but that was exactly the reason to be worried.

    Arsenal wasted no time in squashing any worries, peppering the Sheffield United goal. They could have taken the lead after just over a minute, with Declan Rice having a shot blocked, Bukayo Saka hitting the crossbar and Gabriel Martinelli’s effort being cleared off the line — all within a few seconds of each other.

    Gunners fans didn’t have to wait much longer for the breakthrough, with Martin Odegaard opening the scoring. And the floodgates opened, with some impressive records being broken and stats coming up.

    We’ve compiled the best below.

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    Martin Odegaard’s away record

    It’s completely understandable for a player to thrive playing at home, but for Martin Odegaard things are better away from the Emirates.

    Since the start of the 2021/22 season, Odegaard has scored 17 away goals in the Premier League, with James Ward-Prowse (18) the only midfielder to have netted more in that time. At home since the start of the 2021/22 season, Odegaard has scored 11 goals in the Premier League.

    Kai Havertz hitting form

    Kai Havertz has had an up-and-down start to life at Arsenal, but the German is certainly finding form right now. After just one goal in his first 12 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, Havertz scored three in five before suffering another six-game drought.

    However, Havertz has now scored three goals in his past three Premier League appearances — just the second time he has netted in three consecutive games in the competition.

    Declan Rice’s best ever season

    A lot has been said about Declan Rice for Arsenal this season, and the world knows how good he is. Of course, he was good before joining Arsenal, but the midfielder has found another level under Mikel Arteta.

    Scoring Arsenal’s fifth, Rice has now been directly involved in 10 goals in the Premier League this season, the first time he has broken double figures in the league. To make things even better, Rice has five goals and five assists.

    Unrivalled attackers

    Rice isn’t alone in reaching double figures for goals and assists for Arsenal this season. The Gunners have five players in total directly involved in 10+ Premier League goals this season — with no club having more.

    Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli join Rice on 10, Odegaard has 12 while Bukayo Saka leads the way on 21.

    First-half history

    Arsenal were in a punishing mood on Monday night and by half time they were 5-0 up, the second time they had scored five first-half goal in a Premier League game. The first was when they were 5-1 up against Southampton at Highbury in May 2003.

    So, this was the first time they had scored five in the first half of a Premier League away game.

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    Goals, goals, goals

    Arsenal fans are used to seeing their team scoring five. This is the third consecutive away game in which Arsenal have scored at least five goals in the Premier League.

    The Gunners are just the second top-flight side to achieve that feat after Burnley did so in September 1962.

    English football history

    English football didn’t begin in 1992 with the creation of the Premier League. Which makes this record even more remarkable.

    Arsenal are the first team in English football league history — the top four tiers — to win three consecutive away games by a margin of 5+ goals.

    At the same time, Sheffield United are the first team in English football league history to lose three consecutive home games by a margin of 5+ goals. The Blades are also the first team in English football league history to concede five goals in four consecutive home games across all competitions.

    Terrifying contrast

    If you want to add context to Arsenal’s goalscoring achievement, how about this. The Gunners have scored more away Premier League goals in 2024 (19 in four games) than Manchester United have all season (18 in 14).

    Mikel Arteta among the best

    Over the course of the game, Arsenal hit 300 Premier League goals under Mikel Arteta. In his 161st game in charge of the Gunners, only Pep Guardiola (120), Jurgen Klopp (142) and Manuel Pellegrini (149) have seen their Premier League teams reach a triple century quicker than Arteta.

    Goalscoring run ends at eight

    However, there was one minor point for Arsenal to mourn. The Gunners only scored once in the second half at Bramall Lane, ending their run of netting at least twice in eight consecutive halves of Premier League football.

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