A 22-year wait is over after Manchester City drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on Tuesday night, confirming Mikel Arteta’s side as champions with one game still to play.
The celebrations are well underway. But one statistic is already generating debate.
Arsenal have not received a single red card in the Premier League this season, nor have they given away a single penalty – a feat no Premier League champion has ever achieved. It is either remarkable discipline or remarkable fortune, depending on your perspective.
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The comparison with other sides this season is stark. Arsenal are the only club in the division not to have conceded a penalty, while Chelsea conceded 8 and Spurs conceded 7. The next most disciplined sides – Manchester City and Newcastle – both conceded at least 3 penalties each.
Previous champions tell a different story. Liverpool conceded 4 penalties on their way to last season’s title. Manchester City conceded 3 in their record-breaking 100-point season in 2017-18. Even the Invincibles of 2003-04 – the last Arsenal side to win the title – conceded penalties that season.
Critics will also point to some controversial VAR decisions. The Premier League’s KMI panel confirmed two clear VAR errors that directly benefitted Arsenal – Everton were denied a penalty in a 1-0 loss to Arsenal after William Saliba kicked Thierno Barry’s leg, and Brighton were denied a spot-kick after Gabriel Martinelli held Mats Wieffer in the box.
Seven VAR decisions went in Arsenal’s favour across the season, with five going against them – without those errors, Arsenal and City would have potentially finished level on points. PGMOL also admitted errors in failing to give Gabriel a red card against Manchester City, while Kai Havertz avoided a red card in Monday’s win over Burnley that secured the title.
This guy breaks down every time refs didn’t red card an Arsenal player or give a penalty when on VAR it clearly was
Premier league is cooked pic.twitter.com/Mlj3vwUgEw
— Lonzo🔺 (@RuggyFresh) May 19, 2026
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The West Ham controversy – where Callum Wilson’s 95th-minute equaliser was ruled out after a four-minute VAR review – was later defended by PGMOL chief Howard Webb as the correct decision. Not all of the errors, in other words, went Arsenal’s way.
The turnaround in discipline is also worth noting. Last season Arsenal received more red cards than any other side in the Premier League – 12 more yellow cards than this season’s total.
Twenty-two years. Zero red cards. Zero penalties conceded. Seven VAR decisions in their favour. Were the Gunners fortunate – or were they simply the best team in the league?
Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers
