It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
