Arsenal have kept seven clean sheets this season, showing how difficult they have become to score against. But there is another detail behind that record that makes their defensive story even more interesting: five of the seven goals they have conceded came in just two matches.

The Gunners kept opponents scoreless against Manchester City, Coventry City, Aston Villa, Napoli, Sunderland, Lille and Nottingham Forest. Those results span different competitions and show that Arsenal have repeatedly found ways to prevent their opponents from scoring, including in demanding fixtures.

Their 3–0 victory over Manchester City was one of the most eye-catching results on the list, while the 1–0 wins over Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest showed a different side of the same record. Arsenal did not need to score several goals in those matches; keeping their opponents out was enough to secure victory.

The Champions League win over Lille and the clean sheet against Napoli also added to the run. Alongside their domestic results, those performances helped build the picture of a team capable of protecting its goal across more than one competition.

However, the goals Arsenal have conceded reveal a different part of the story. Brighton scored three against them, while Ipswich Town managed two. Those two matches alone account for five of the seven goals conceded in the record being discussed.

Chelsea and Leeds United account for the other two goals, with each scoring once. The contrast is striking: Arsenal have repeatedly prevented opponents from scoring altogether, but a small number of matches have contributed most of the goals they have allowed.

That does not automatically mean their defence is weak or that the clean-sheet record is misleading. Instead, it shows why looking at both clean sheets and goals conceded provides a fuller picture than focusing on either statistic alone.

For Arsenal, the challenge is to maintain the consistency that has produced seven shutouts while limiting the damage in matches when opponents manage to break through. If they can keep combining disciplined defending with the ability to respond after difficult performances, their defensive record will remain an important part of their season.

Seven clean sheets make an impressive headline. But the five goals conceded against Brighton and Ipswich are the detail that gives this record another layer.