It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to contain 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start 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 leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
