It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road 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 premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
