There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop 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 resulting 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 great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
