Bernd Leno admits Arsenal must improve at the back if they are to take advantage of their "unbelievable" front three.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have started this season as they finished the last, scoring five goals between them during Arsenal’s opening four Premier League games.
And now they have Nicolas Pepe alongside them who, although has yet to get off the mark for his new club, has shown already just how much of a handful he is going to be for defenders this season.
It is a fearsome frontline, one which got Arsenal out of jail on Sunday as the Gunners came back from a two-goal deficit to earn 2-2 draw with Spurs in the North London Derby.
Unai Emery’s side have now conceded six times in their last three games, with both goals against Tottenham coming directly from errors.
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Leno was at fault for the first, weakly pushing Son Heung-min’s shot into the path of Christian Eriksen and then a ridiculous challenge by Granit Xhaka on Son gave away a penalty which was converted by Harry Kane.
Emery admitted after the game that his side still had work to to defensively and Leno was quick to agree with the Spaniard.
“We can score against everybody but I think the key is always the balance with the defence," said the German keeper. "Because in the end that is the most important thing.
“The three players up top, with Pepe also there now, have unbelievable quality they can score the big chances but also score from nothing.
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“The other teams always know and have to be aware that we have a lot of dangerous players and that gives us big confidence.
“You can see the game against Liverpool we had one or two chances to score when it was 0-0 so we can score with our quality in that top three.”
Having fallen 2-0 behind late on in the first half against Spurs, Arsenal pulled a goal back just before the interval through Lacazette.
The France striker was replaced during the second half with what was originally feared to be a hamstring injury, but what later turned out to be just cramp.
And he watched from the bench as Aubameyang salvaged a point for the home side, turning in Matteo Guendouzi’s cross for his third goal in four Premier League games this season.
“I think after those [Tottenham’s] two goals we started to put on the pressure,” said Aubameyang. “We tried to push a lot and Laca scored the first one.
“In the second half we had some chances and we scored the second. I think we had the space to score a third one, but it was a tough game so it was a draw.
“We’re not happy with that, but we did a great job and played well.”