There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive 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 boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
