There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning 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 leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the first time at this point 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 pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
