After enduring a rocky patch over Christmas and New Year, Arsenal have bounced back in style in 2024 by winning all six of their Premier League games to keep themselves right in the title race.
What's more, the Gunners have been scoring goals with alarming regularity, having smashed in 15 in their last three league outings thanks to dominant victories over West Ham United (6-0), Burnley (5-0) and Newcastle United (4-1) this month.
That prolific streak extends to 25 goals in the six league games Arsenal have played since returning refreshed and reinvigorated from their winter break. Or, to put it another way, they've scored 25 goals in six games since manager Mikel Arteta was fed steak straight from the fork of Salt Bae in the Turkish beef peddler's Dubai restaurant. Coincidence?
The Boss living his best life in Dubai 🥩 pic.twitter.com/qhUMsphRpu
— Gooner Chris (@ArsenalN7) January 12, 2024
While the Gunners are in the most fearsome form of any team in England this season, how does their scoring rate compare with the Premier League's biggest-ever goal rushes?
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Most goals in a three-match span: 17 (Manchester City, 2021-22 and Chelsea, 2009-10)
Man City's three-game splurge came in the midst of a 12-match winning streak that ran from one year to the next. A 7-0 thumping of Leeds United that put City four points clear of title rivals Liverpool was followed by a 4-0 win at Newcastle five days later that ensured Pep Guardiola's side would be top of the table at Christmas. That result at St James' Park also saw City secure their 34th victory of the 2021 calendar year as well as scoring their 106th goal in the same time frame -- both Premier League records. City completed their mini-surge with a further six goals against Leicester on Boxing Day to strengthen their position at the top of the league despite conceding three goals in just 10 minutes during an uncharacteristically wobbly second-half spell. Guardiola's side would go onto lose just one more league game all season as they eventually pipped Liverpool to the title by a single point.
After a defeat against Tottenham Hotspur allowed second-placed Manchester United to close the gap in the title race, Chelsea rallied to close out the 2009-10 campaign in fine style starting with a 7-0 drubbing of Stoke City at Stamford Bridge that saw Salomon Kalou weigh in with a hat trick. The Blues then moved to the brink of the championship with a 2-0 win at Anfield that left Carlo Ancelotti's side needing to win their final game of the season to guarantee the title as Manchester United maintained the pressure. Chelsea absolutely demolished hapless Wigan Athletic to end Manchester United's three-year reign as champions by a single point. Didier Drogba scored a hat trick at the Bridge to secure the Golden Boot as the triumphant Blues set a new Premier League record of 103 goals in one season.
Most goals in a four-match span: 20 (Manchester United, 1997-98)
United leapt from third to first in the table on Oct. 25 with a rampant seven-goal obliteration of Barnsley at Old Trafford in which Andy Cole scored a first-half hat trick, and the goals continued to flow freely for Sir Alex Ferguson's side as Sheffield Wednesday were smashed 6-1 the following week. United's winning run then came to an abrupt end at Highbury in a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal (the Gunners would end up winning the title over United by just one point.) Fergie's team didn't wallow in that loss to Arsenal and hit back with a 5-2 win at Wimbledon to consolidate their place at the top of the table. Indeed, the Red Devils remained top until late April, when two draws in their final five games allowed Arsenal to pip them to the post by winning all of their final 10 league fixtures.
Most in a five-match span: 24 goals (Manchester City, 2017-18)
Manchester City's run came early in the 2017-18 season as part of an imperious 18-game winning streak. Their record 24-goal splurge over five games began a shock 5-0 trouncing of rivals Liverpool on Sept. 9 before winning 6-0 at Watford and 5-0 over Crystal Palace over the next two weekends. A much sterner test awaited City at Chelsea, but Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal of the game against his former side in what proved to be a tense encounter between the reigning champions and the champions-to-be. The shackles were then well and truly taken off again after the international break as City stampeded to a 7-2 win over Stoke (only the second time City had scored seven goals in a Premier League game) which saw them end the day with a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Most goals in a six-match span: 27 (Manchester City, 2017-18)
After that comprehensive annihilation of Stoke, City set another record for most goals scored in six Premier League games by beating Burnley by a relatively ho-hum 3-0 scoreline in what was their 11th successive away victory. Sergio Aguero opened the floodgates with an early penalty that was the Argentina striker's 177th goal for City, making him the club's joint all-time leading goal scorer. He would score another 83 before he left City in 2021.
Most goals in a seven-match span: 30 (Manchester City, 2017-18)
City held out to log their eighth league win on the bounce with a messy 3-2 away victory at West Bromwich Albion that put them five points clear at the top of the Premier League table. They were subjected to a slightly frantic finish after conceding in the 92nd minute but, nevertheless, those three goals were enough to seal the win and propel City to a record-setting 30-goal haul in the space of just seven league games -- a high watermark which is yet to be surpassed, at least for the time being.
Indeed, Arteta's bountiful side now need to score six goals against Sheffield United in their next game if they are to set to a new Premier League record for most goals in a seven game span. Given the form they are in, you can't rule it out.