There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - 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 initial occasion 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
