Hull City’s perfect defensive start puts Premier League rivals in the shade

Hull City are the only Premier League side yet to concede a goal after the opening three rounds of the season, an impressive start for the newly promoted club.

The Tigers have collected seven points from their first three matches and sit third in the Premier League table. Their record includes a 2-0 victory over Manchester United, a 1-0 win against Coventry City and a goalless draw with Aston Villa.

That defensive record gives Hull City a distinction no other team in the division can currently match. They are the sole club to have kept a clean sheet in each of their first three league fixtures.

Arsenal had previously shared that achievement, but their own perfect defensive run ended in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. The match was a London derby and formed part of the third round of Premier League fixtures.

Arsenal’s concession means Hull City now stand alone at the top of the league’s defensive statistics, despite being among the teams competing in the division for the first time since promotion. Their unbeaten beginning has also placed them above a number of more established Premier League sides after three matches.

Manchester City currently lead the Premier League with nine points, level with Arsenal. They are the only two teams to have won all three of their opening games.

Hull City’s position in third is therefore built on a combination of two victories, one draw and a defence that has not been breached. Their clean-sheet sequence has helped them remain unbeaten while keeping them within two points of the leading pair.

The early standings underline how closely contested the opening stage of the campaign has been. Manchester City and Arsenal have the maximum possible points, while Hull City have followed them with seven points from a schedule that has included Manchester United, Coventry City and Aston Villa.

For Hull City, the defining feature of their start remains the absence of any goals conceded. While Arsenal were able to maintain their winning record against Chelsea, conceding in that match ended their joint hold on the division’s best defensive record.

After only three rounds, Hull City therefore have a statistic shared by no other Premier League club: three matches played, three clean sheets and no goals allowed. Their next results will determine whether that early defensive advantage can be maintained, but for now the newly promoted side have outperformed every other team in the competition in that particular measure.

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