That’s because when it comes to hosting some of the division’s new boys on our turf, we are currently on a near 15-year run since we last tasted a home defeat against a promoted side.
You have to go back to November 2010 for our last loss against a side previously in the Championship, when Andy Carroll’s goal snatched a smash-and-grab 1-0 win for Newcastle United, in their only league triumph at Emirates Stadium.
Since then we have gone on a run of 42 games without being beaten in N5 by a promoted side, during which we have won 37 and drawn five. Therefore, should we avoid defeat on Saturday, we would equal the Premier League’s longest such run, with Chelsea racking up 43 between 2001 and 2015.
| Team | Games | Start of Run | End of Run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 43 | Nov 2001 | Nov 2015 |
| Arsenal | 42 | Sep 2011 | Ongoing |
| Manchester City | 41 | Aug 2007 | Dec 2020 |
| Manchester United | 40 | Jan 2002 | Feb 2015 |
| Arsenal | 32 | Feb 1995 | Nov 2005 |
| Liverpool | 30 | May 2011 | Dec 2020 |
When you also factor in away games, we have won 22 of our last 23 league games against newly promoted sides, including each of the last 12 since a 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest in May 2023.
Those are two runs we will hope to extend against the Whites this weekend, and the history books also indicate that it could be a tough afternoon for Daniel Farke’s side, as only against Portsmouth (22) and Cardiff City (15) are we currently enjoying a longer unbeaten streak against an opponent.
| Opponent | Games | Start of Run | Most Recent Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 22 | Dec 1958 | Mar 2020 |
| Cardiff City | 15 | Oct 1961 | Jan 2019 |
| Leeds United | 14 | Nov 2003 | Apr 2023 |
| Hull City | 14 | Jan 2009 | Feb 2017 |
| Reading | 14 | Feb 1935 | Oct 2016 |
| Derby County | 13 | Apr 1998 | Apr 2008 |
| Glossop North End | 13 | Feb 1899 | Sep 1914 |
You have to go back 14 meetings with Leeds in all competitions for the last time the Yorkshire club were victorious, which stretches back to a 3-2 loss at Highbury back in May 2003 when a late winner from Mark Viduka helped the Whites avoid the drop.
We have won 12 of the subsequent fixtures, including all of the last six. Our last encounters came back in the 2022/23 season, with a Bukayo Saka strike clinching the points at Elland Road before we ran out 4-1 victors in north London – the 14th consecutive game that Leeds have failed to keep a clean sheet on our patch.
