It's clear why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
