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Arsenal top six rival analysis: Man United, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester & more

By Ross Kennerley

FILE PHOTO (EDITORS NOTE: COMPOSITE OF IMAGES - Image numbers 1178800802,1196064545 - GRADIENT ADDED) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United (L) and Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal. Arsenal FC and Manchester United meet on January 1,2020 in a Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium in London,England. ***LEFT IMAGE*** THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - OCTOBER 03: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League group L match between AZ Alkmaar and Manchester United at ADO Den Haag on October 03, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on December 26, 2019 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
FILE PHOTO (EDITORS NOTE: COMPOSITE OF IMAGES - Image numbers 1178800802,1196064545 - GRADIENT ADDED) In this composite image a comparison has been made between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United (L) and Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal. Arsenal FC and Manchester United meet on January 1,2020 in a Premier League fixture at the Emirates Stadium in London,England. ***LEFT IMAGE*** THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - OCTOBER 03: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League group L match between AZ Alkmaar and Manchester United at ADO Den Haag on October 03, 2019 in The Hague, Netherlands. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on December 26, 2019 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Potter
NORWICH, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 16: Manager of Brighton Graham Potter looks on during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Brighton & Hove Albion at Carrow Road on October 16, 2021 in Norwich, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

4. Brighton

Will the time come when the rest of the division sits and truly takes note of Brighton?

The way their season is panning out is in stark contrast to how it unfolded last season. Finishing 16th in 2020/21, as per the xPTS table (based on xG accrued and xG conceded) they should have sat a full 12 places higher, in fifth.

Doing everything right, their lack of a goalscorer to finish off the chances they created saw them suffer dramatically.

Twist that around to this season and they are outperforming their xG, currently sitting eighth in the table whereas their xPTS tally would see them in 13th.

Key to their success has been some clever investing, but primarily keeping hold of Yves Bissouma. Graham Potter’s brand of football is exciting to watch, but now has the added benefit of being effective.

Coming from two goals down to draw away at Liverpool, for example, is the signs of a team fully invested in the methods and confident in their ability. However, xG always catches up with teams and failure to sign a reliable centre-forward (their window wasn’t perfect) could prove to be their downfall once again.

Continued…

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