Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham truth clear after alternative Premier League table emerges

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Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all entered the October international break off the back of impressive victories. The Gunners beat West Ham United on Saturday afternoon while Chelsea scored a last-minute winner to claim all three points against Liverpool, all after Spurs kicked off the weekend's action by defeating Leeds United.

The three London club's have not faced off yet and have thus endured differing fixture schedules with Arsenal arguably having the harder run.

Trips to Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United have already been navigated by Mikel Arteta's side along with facing Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.

On facing the likes of Burnley and Sunderland up next after a difficult opening, Arteta said: "We know how difficult those games are going to be, but we wanted to come here because we had some very difficult fixtures, playing some of the top teams, some of them away as well, with some big injuries as well.

"We had to adjust a lot of things with some players that were coming as well from big injuries and surgeries in the first few weeks of the season.

"So, it's been a challenge, but the team has been, I think, very convincing in performances and results."

Despite the challenges, Arsenal sit top of the Premier League and certainly deserve to be there, according to leading football statisticians Opta.

They have pulled together an alternative Premier League table based on expected goals which has the north Londoners top having racked up the highest individual shot xG out of the 20 teams so far.

Liverpool are just a point behind Arsenal in second but their rocky start has been reflected here with the stats suggesting they should actually be in sixth.

Tottenham follow the two title rivals in third, but given the nature of some of their wins and performances, Opta has them overperforming significantly.

Spurs have bested their opponents for expected goals in just two games with it no surprise that was in 3-0 victories over West Ham United and Burnley. Having racked up over an xG of just 1.2 once, Thomas Frank's side should actually be way down in thirteenth.

Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Newcastle United are all believed to be underperforming as things stand with the latter two teams above Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca's side had failed to win any of their last three league games prior to beating Liverpool last weekend at Stamford Bridge. The champions did rack up a higher xG in that game however, and multiple red cards sees Chelsea in an expected position of ninth as opposed to where they currently lie in seventh.

Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Burnley are also in slightly 'false' positions with those five teams overperforming the expected data.

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