Chelsea's defensive solidity represents a major boost for their title aspirations as their latest victory has placed them in the all-time top five of clubs to have kept consecutive clean sheets in a Premier League season.
The 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Sunday took to six the consecutive shutouts Antonio Conte’s side have managed, a return bettered only by four clubs in the history of the PL.
Of the 10 previous times clubs have won six matches in a row without conceding, Chelsea have featured on five occasions.
Only two teams to have achieved the feat within the same season have failed to go on to lift the Premier League Trophy.
Liverpool went eight matches without their defence being breached in 2005/06 before finishing third to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. The west Londoners followed suit the following season, only to finish runners-up to Manchester United.
United have achieved the longest winning run without letting in a goal, keeping nine clean sheets en route to the 2008/09 title, while Chelsea won eight matches in a row without conceding in 2004/05, then six the season after as they secured back-to-back titles.
Most matches won without conceding in a single PL season
| Team | Matches | Date of last match | Final pos. |
| Man Utd | 9 | 18/02/09 | 1 |
| Chelsea | 8 | 02/02/05 | 1 |
| Chelsea | 8 | 07/04/07 | 2 |
| Liverpool | 8 | 26/12/05 | 3 |
| Chelsea | 6 | 20/11/16 | ? |
| Chelsea | 6 | 17/09/05 | 1 |
| Man Utd | 6 | 06/10/07 | 1 |
| Man Utd | 6 | 30/03/13 | 1 |
Thibaut Courtois will have his work cut out if he is to match Edwin van der Sar’s seven-year record as he will need to frustrate the attacks of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion to reach the nine-match mark.
A trip to the Stadium of Light would set the scene for a potential record 10th straight shutout.
Conte has achieved this defensive stability by making a tactical switch to a 3-4-3 formation and selecting the same starting XI for five consecutive league fixtures, the first time Chelsea have done so since 1990.
The Blues' defence will be confident of running Man Utd's record close considering the infrequency with which their goal has been threatened.
When Courtois saved from Alvaro Negredo in the 78th minute of the 1-0 win at Boro, it was the first time in 228 minutes of PL football that Chelsea had conceded a shot on target.