There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the first time at this stage 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 additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
