Arsenal - Dependent on own goals
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Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 28.12.25. | 13:47
Four out of the last six goals the Gunners scored were the work of their rivals, who keep finding their own nets
Arsenal scored six goals in the last four games.
Arsenal players scored two goals in the last four games.
These two statements may seem paradoxical at first, but both are true. How? Well, thanks to the luck that follows the Gunners, or better said, the misfortune following their rivals.
Is that some sort of jinx or something else, yet Arsenal's rivals cannot stop finding their own nets against the Premier League table-toppers. In fact, they did it four times in as many previous games, scoring four out of the last six goals Mikel Arteta's crew netted!
4 - Four of Arsenal's last six goals have been opposition own goals, as many as across their previous 182 goals combined in all competitions. Blink. pic.twitter.com/Lim4xpRTYT
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2025
It all started against the sorry Wolverhampton - strong contenders for the worst-ever EPL team - when Sam Johnstone's own goal opened the scoring, and Yerson Mosquera's one brought a victory to the Gunners in added time, just four minutes after Tolu Arokodare's late leveller.
Ten days later, the North London side eliminated Crystal Palace from the EFL Cup on penalties, though they could have sealed the deal much earlier had it not been for Marc Guehi's stoppage-time equalizer. A quarter of an hour before the defender's goal, the Englishman's defensive partner, Maxence Lacroix, had broken the deadlock with an own goal.
Finally, this uncanny run continued yesterday, when Brighton's Georginio Rutter doubled Arsenal's lead, putting a header into his own net following Declan Rice's corner kick.
The only goals in the Gunners' previous four matches scored by their own players were Viktor Gyokeres' spot-kick winner against Everton and Martin Odegaard's opener against the Seagulls.
Arsenal signing a secret player for €0 in December, His name is Own Goal
— UpYourArsenal🔴⚪🔴⚪♥️ (@UPYOURARSENAL04) December 28, 2025
And he's scored 4 Goals in 3 Matches😭 pic.twitter.com/W5TLEcvvqQ
Looking at Arsenal's goalscorers list, own goals would be their seventh-leading netters, behind Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, and Eberechi Eze.
At the same time, this "own goal anomaly" is a massive warning for Arteta and his forwards. The luck won't last forever on the Gunners' side, and they'll have to take charge of scoring goals on their own as soon as possible. Otherwise, their title dreams may begin to shatter.
PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 18
Friday
Manchester United - Newcastle 1-0 (1-0)
/Dorgu 24/
Saturday
Nottingham Forest - Manchester City 1-2 (0-0)
/Hutchinson 54 - Reijnders 48, Cherki 83/
Arsenal - Brighton 2-1 (1-0)
/Odegaard 14, Rutter 55 og - Gomez 64/
Brentford - Bournemouth 4-1 (2-0)
/Schade 7, 51, 90+6, Petrovic 39 og - Semenyo 75/
Burnley - Everton 0-0
Liverpool - Wolverhampton 2-1 (2-0)
/Gravenberch 41, Wirtz 42 - Bueno 51/
West Ham - Fulham 0-1 (0-0)
/Jimenez 85/
Chelsea - Aston Villa 1-2 (1-0)
/Pedro 37 - Watkins 63, 84/
Sunday
17.00: (2.60) Sunderland (3.15) Leeds (2.85)
19.30: (2.35) Crystal Palace (3.35) Tottenham (3.05)
***odds are subject to change***
