After 812 minutes and eight successive matches without conceding in all competitions, Arsenal's defence was finally breached at the Stadium of Light.

Hosts Sunderland finally showed their rivals how to score against the Gunners - and did so twice.

While last Saturday's 2-2 draw may have put a small dent in Arsenal's Premier League title charge, their four-point lead at the top of the table has undoubtedly been built on a watertight defence.

The eight clean sheets in a row equalled their own club record set back in 1903 - no mean feat when you consider the calibre of some of their predecessors. It also matched the mark of Preston's 1889 side, and Liverpool in 1920, for most matches won in a row without conceding by an English club.

As Mikel Arteta's men prepare to host Tottenham on Sunday, many believe a first league title since 2003-04 is there for the taking.

So far this campaign they have conceded just five goals in 11 matches and are tracking just behind the record for the fewest conceded in a season - 15 by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in 2004-05.

Undoubtedly an elite unit, but where does Arsenal's back four rank when considering the best we've seen in the Premier League era since its inception in 1992?

There is some fierce competition for that crown but, statistically, the Gunners are right up there.

Nearly a third of the way through the campaign, they are conceding 0.45 goals per game. If they maintain that rate they will concede 17 goals over the 38 games.

Chelsea's 2004-05 title-winning side hold the record at 15, with Arsenal's vintage in 1998-99 conceding 17, but finishing trophyless.

The next tightest defence is the 2007-08 Manchester United side and Liverpool in 2018-19, who both conceded 22 goals.

There is a long way still to go for Arsenal, but if the backline of Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori - with keeper David Raya behind them - stay fit and solid, then they've got every chance of being talked about among this quartet.

That is a big if though, with fears Gabriel could be sidelined until January after being injured on Brazil duty, while Italy international Calafiori also has a problem that needs to be assessed.

The Gunners also have the best defensive record in Europe's top five leagues this term, with the fewest goals conceded, fewest shots on target faced and most clean sheets.

They have allowed only 21 shots on target in the Premier League this season, including three across their last five matches. Their average of 1.9 shots on target faced per game is the lowest since Opta's records began in 2003-04.

You have to go back to September and October 1987 for the last time Arsenal bettered this season's record of four successive league games without letting in a goal.

That came under manager George Graham in an era that inspired the famous "1-0 to the Arsenal" chant to serenade a team with the kind of defensive resilience that Arteta's men are replicating.

Sunderland's strikes, from Dan Ballard and an injury-time Brian Brobbey equaliser, denied them the chance to beat Manchester United's Premier League record of 14 consecutive clean sheets, achieved back in 2008-09.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are the record holders for clean sheets in the Premier League era across all competitions, having gone 11 straight games without conceding under Rafael Benitez in 2005-06.

Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown, who was part of the club's 1998-99 side, wrote in his BBC Sport column: "We can see with our own eyes how good the defence is.

"The only thing missing from their CV is trophies.

"If they could be champions, they reach that elite level alongside these past title-winning teams."

So who are Arsenal's rivals when it comes to the league's leading defences?

Take a look at the options below and vote for which defensive unit you think was, or is, the best.

Chelsea (2004-05)

The Blues stormed to the league title in Mourinho's first season in charge - in no small part thanks to the most miserly defence in the league's history.

Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry and William Gallas made up the regular back four, with Petr Cech in goal, as Chelsea conceded just 15 times.

Arsenal (1998-99)

The Gunners' best backline in the Premier League era - until now?

Having won the league and FA Cup Double in the previous season, Arsenal's defence was exemplary in 1998-99 with Lee Dixon, Keown, Tony Adams and Nigel Winterburn playing in front of David Seaman.

The result was a mere 17 goals conceded, but difficulty putting the ball in the net at the other end meant they had to settle for second place in the table behind Manchester United.

Manchester United (2007-08)

Perhaps Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest United side as they lifted both the Premier League and Champions League.

With Edwin van der Sar between the sticks, a settled back four of Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra conceded just 22 league goals.

That is joint third in the all-time list with Liverpool in 2018-19 and Chelsea in 2005-06.

Liverpool (2018-19)

Only three teams in Premier League history have finished with more than the 97 points mustered by Jurgen Klopp's side in 2018-19.

While Liverpool were known for a brilliant front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, their defence was pretty immaculate too.

Brazil stopper Alisson Becker was there to sweep up if anyone ever got past a back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson as they let in only 22 goals all season.

Manchester City (2018-19)

It took a remarkable side to deny that Champions League-winning Liverpool outfit the Premier League title in that campaign - and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City were just that.

Goalkeeper Ederson was ever present, with Kyle Walker, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte also regulars in a defence that featured Vincent Kompany, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nicolas Otamendi across the course of the campaign.

Their 23 goals conceded was one more than Liverpool but, crucially, they also claimed one more point to become champions.