It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
