It's obvious why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
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 fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited 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 possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
