Only three clubs from the Premier League feature in the top 10 of last season’s best defence classification – Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.
The best-placed top-flight clubs in the 92-team table are the Citizens and Chelsea who both conceded 33 goals last term for an average of 0.87 per game. United, the English champions, let in 37 goals.
Championship league winners Queens Park Rangers had the best defensive record with an average of 0.70 goals per game after conceding 32 goals in 46 league matches.
Throughout the season, Manchester City collected a total of 18 clean sheets – the best in the Premiership for total shutdowns.
Chelsea and Manchester United finished behind on 15.
In the 2010/11 season statistics, only Chelsea and Manchester United placed in the top 10 of the charts for goals scored and conceded.
Top defences (last 10 years)
2001-02: Plymouth - 0.61
2002-03: Wigan - 0.54
2003-04: Arsenal - 0.68
2004-05: Chelsea - 0.39
2005-06: Chelsea - 0.58
2006-07: Chelsea - 0.63
2007-08: Man. Utd - 0.58
2008-09: Chelsea - 0.63
2009-10: Notts County - 0.67
2010-11: QPR - 0.70
English clubs’ defensive records in 2010/11
| 01. | (61) | QPR | (C) | 32 | (-33) | 0.70 |
| 02. | (13) | Southampton | (L1) | 38 | (-9) | 0.83 |
| 03. | (46) | Brighton | (L1) | 40 | (-20) | 0.87 |
| 03. | (28) | Man. City | (P) | 33 | (-8) | 0.87 |
| 03. | (05) | Chelsea | (P) | 33 | (-1) | 0.87 |
| 06. | (04) | Swansea | (C) | 42 | (+05) | 0.91 |
| 07. | (02) | Man. United | (P) | 37 | (+09) | 0.97 |
| 08. | (00) | Stevenage | (L2) | 45 | (−) | 0.98 |
| 09. | (34) | Huddersfield | (L1) | 48 | (-8) | 1.04 |
| 10. | (08) | Millwall | (C) | 48 | (+4) | 1.04 |
| 11. | (27) | Shrewsbury | (L2) | 49 | (-5) | 1.07 |
| 12. | (19) | Port Vale | (L2) | 49 | (-1) | 1.07 |
| 13. | (06) | Nottm Forest | (C) | 50 | (+10) | 1.09 |
| 14. | (44) | Bury | (L2) | 50 | (-9) | 1.09 |
| 15. | (89) | Hull City | (C) | 51 | (-24) | 1.11 |
| 16. | (50) | Chesterfield | (L2) | 51 | (-12) | 1.11 |
| 16. | (56) | Reading | (C) | 51 | (-12) | 1.11 |
| 18. | (32) | Fulham | (P) | 43 | (-3) | 1.13 |
| 19. | (18) | Arsenal | (P) | 43 | (+2) | 1.13 |
| 20. | (30) | Torquay | (L2) | 53 | (-2) | 1.15 |
| 21. | (07) | Liverpool | (P) | 44 | (+9) | 1.16 |
| 22. | (33) | Aldershot | (L2) | 54 | (-2) | 1.17 |
| 23. | (26) | Cardiff | (C) | 54 | (=) | 1.17 |
| 24. | (09) | Bournemouth | (L1) | 54 | (+10) | 1.17 |
| 25. | (45) | Everton | (P) | 45 | (-4) | 1.18 |
| 26. | (81) | Accrington | (L2) | 55 | (-19) | 1.20 |
| 27. | (15) | Rochdale | (L1) | 55 | (+7) | 1.20 |
| 28. | (29) | Tottenham | (P) | 46 | (+1) | 1.21 |
| 29. | (59) | Gillingham | (L2) | 57 | (+7) | 1.24 |
| 30. | (39) | Stoke City | (P) | 48 | (=) | 1.26 |
| 31. | (57) | Coventry City | (C) | 58 | (+6) | 1.26 |
| 32. | (12) | Norwich City | (C) | 58 | (+11) | 1.26 |
| 33. | (78) | Tranmere | (L1) | 60 | (-12) | 1.30 |
| 34. | (69) | MK Dons | (L1) | 60 | (-8) | 1.30 |
| 35. | (84) | Portsmouth | (C) | 60 | (-6) | 1.30 |
| 36. | (00) | Oxford | (L2) | 60 | (−) | 1.30 |
| 37. | (36) | Oldham | (L1) | 60 | (+3) | 1.30 |
| 38. | (22) | Rotherham | (L2) | 60 | (+8) | 1.30 |
| 39. | (01) | Notts County | (L1) | 60 | (+29) | 1.30 |
| 40. | (92) | Burnley | (C) | 61 | (-21) | 1.33 |
| 41. | (70) | Bristol City | (C) | 61 | (-3) | 1.41 |
| 42. | (62) | Carlisle | (L1) | 62 | (-4) | 1.35 |
| 43. | (54) | Leyton Orient | (L1) | 62 | (-1) | 1.35 |
| 44. | (23) | Brentford | (L1) | 62 | (+10) | 1.35 |
| 45. | (21) | Colchester | (L1) | 63 | (+11) | 1.37 |
| 46. | (64) | Hartlepool | (L1) | 65 | (-2) | 1.41 |
| 47. | (79) | Crewe | (L2) | 65 | (+8) | 1.41 |
| 48. | (77) | Southend | (L2) | 66 | (-16) | 1.22 |
| 49. | (71) | Barnsley | (C) | 66 | (-3) | 1.43 |
| 50. | (82) | Hereford | (L2) | 66 | (-1) | 1.43 |
| 51. | (43) | Yeovil | (L1) | 66 | (+7) | 1.43 |
| 52. | (14) | Charlton Athletic | (L1) | 66 | (+18) | 1.43 |
| 53. | (72) | Sheffield Wed. | (L1) | 67 | (-2) | 1.46 |
| 54. | (87) | Bolton | (P) | 56 | (-12) | 1.47 |
| 55. | (65) | Sunderland | (P) | 56 | (=) | 1.47 |
| 56. | (51) | Bradford | (L2) | 68 | (+6) | 1.48 |
| 57. | (48) | Ipswich Town | (C) | 68 | (+7) | 1.48 |
| 58. | (20) | Middlesbrough | (C) | 68 | (+18) | 1.48 |
| 59. | (83) | Wycombe | (L2) | 69 | (+13) | 1.65 |
| 60. | (24) | Crystal Palace | (C) | 69 | (+16) | 1.50 |
| 61. | (03) | Newcastle | (P) | 57 | (+22) | 1.50 |
| 62. | (76) | Burton Albion | (L2) | 70 | (-1) | 1.52 |
| 63. | (41) | Dagenham | (L1) | 70 | (+12) | 1.52 |
| 64. | (10) | Leeds United | (C) | 70 | (+26) | 1.52 |
| 65. | (37) | Birmingham | (P) | 58 | (+11) | 1.53 |
| 66. | (24) | Northampton | (L2) | 71 | (−18) | 1.54 |
| 67. | (67) | Watford | (C) | 71 | (+7) | 1.54 |
| 68. | (52) | Derby | (C) | 71 | (+8) | 1.54 |
| 69. | (11) | Leicester | (C) | 71 | (+26) | 1.54 |
| 70. | (63) | Blackburn | (P) | 59 | (+4) | 1.55 |
| 71. | (17) | Aston Villa | (P) | 59 | (+18) | 1.55 |
| 72. | (73) | Bristol Rovers | (L1) | 72 | (+2) | 1.56 |
| 73. | (35) | Swindon | (L1) | 72 | (+15) | 1.57 |
| 74. | (58) | Morecambe | (L2) | 73 | (+9) | 1.59 |
| 75. | (47) | Exeter | (L1) | 73 | (+13) | 1.59 |
| 76. | (38) | Macclesfield | (L2) | 73 | (+15) | 1.59 |
| 77. | (91) | Wigan | (P) | 61 | (-18) | 1.61 |
| 78. | (68) | Plymouth | (L1) | 74 | (+10) | 1.61 |
| 79. | (86) | Peterborough | (L1) | 75 | (-05) | 1.63 |
| 80. | (53) | Walsall | (L1) | 75 | (+12) | 1.63 |
| 81. | (74) | Cheltenham | (L2) | 77 | (+6) | 1.67 |
| 82. | (55) | Barnet | (L2) | 77 | (+14) | 1.67 |
| 83. | (80) | Preston | (C) | 79 | (+6) | 1.72 |
| 84. | (31) | Sheffield United | (C) | 79 | (+24) | 1.72 |
| 85. | (66) | Wolves | (P) | 66 | (+10) | 1.74 |
| 86. | (60) | Lincoln | (L2) | 81 | (+16) | 1.76 |
| 87. | (42) | Doncaster | (C) | 81 | (+23) | 1.76 |
| 88. | (85) | West Ham | (P) | 70 | (+4) | 1.84 |
| 89. | (16) | West Brom | (P) | 71 | (+23) | 1.87 |
| 90. | (49) | Scunthorpe | (C) | 87 | (+7) | 1.89 |
| 91. | (40) | Blackpool | (P) | 78 | (+20) | 2.05 |
| 92. | (90) | Stockport | (L2) | 96 | (+1) | 2.09 |
Note: Figures in brackets denote the ups and downs in positions and goals conceded on previous season, respectively. Conference League champions Stevenage and play-off winners Oxford replaced demoted League Two sides Grimsby and Darlington.