There's little doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this stage of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
