Manchester Metropolis v The Invincibles: How Premier League leaders measure as much as Arsenal heroes

It promises to be a extraordinarily merry Christmas for Manchester Metropolis followers as they toast a indispensable 1/2 of the season that has seen them build up a file advantage over 2nd-placed Manchester United within the Premier League.

Having long past 19 fits without defeat, talk about of Pep Guardiola’s aspect going the stout season unbeaten has inevitably grown in volume.

Arsenal are the acceptable membership to indulge in carried out the feat within the Premier League technology – doing so in 2003-04.

However how fabricate the 2 facets overview? Right here, we crunch the numbers.

A RECORD LEAD

Arsenal’s midway tally of forty five parts was barely ample to assemble them 2nd insist in early January – a level on the abet of Manchester United – and they might well per chance well be a daunting 10 adrift of the present Metropolis aspect.

Six draws from their opening 19 fits of an unbeaten season intended that, whereas Arsenal were now not doable to beat, they struggled to genuinely take alter of the advertising campaign.

Metropolis, by disagreement, had been held correct as soon as – a 1-1 diagram with Everton of their 2nd match of the season – and indulge in opened up a 13-level lead over United on the summit.

That gap is the final observe at Christmas in top-flight history and Metropolis indulge in launched into a 17-match a hit bustle since their diagram with Everton – an English league file.

Arsenal’s ultimate fetch within the first 1/2 of the 03-04 season was a four-0 victory at Middlesbrough, whereas this Metropolis aspect indulge in matched or surpassed that a hit margin on six separate events.

GOALS GALORE

With results esteem that it is no shock to be taught that Metropolis are some draw clear of Arsenal via targets scored.

Metropolis’s 60 targets from 19 fits sees them a whopping 25 at an advantage than Arsenal’s 03-04 contingent on the the same stage, serving to them surpass A hundred in 2017 – the first aspect since Liverpool in 1982 to fabricate that feat.

Their goal distinction also dwarfs that of Arsene Wenger’s aspect of 14 years ago – +48 compared with Arsenal’s +23.

Individually, Raheem Pleasurable and Sergio Aguero ready the bottom for Guardiola’s aspect with 12 targets apiece, before Gabriel Jesus on eight and the ever-show Kevin De Bruyne on six, alongside Leroy Sane.

Thierry Henry’s 1/2-season total for Arsenal fits that of Pleasurable and Aguero nonetheless he carried more of the goalscoring burden by myself, with Robert Pires Arsenal’s next ultimate on seven, before Gilberto Silva on four.

CITY CLOSEST TO DEFEAT

While Metropolis dominate many of the comparisons, it is Guardiola’s males who indulge in truly arrive closest to dropping within the first 1/2 of the season.

Basically the most modern equalising goal scored by Arsenal was within the 69th minute of an eventual 2-1 victory over native competitors Tottenham.

Metropolis, meanwhile, had to wait except the 82nd minute for Pleasurable to salvage a level of their solitary diagram against Everton.

However Guardiola’s aspect indulge in since been peerless, defeating every body of workers of their direction to tee up a potentially historical 2nd 1/2 of the season.