It's obvious why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
