It's clear why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their results 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 surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played 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 maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
