There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away 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 unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable 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 maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
