There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (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 maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and determination.
