There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
