It's evident why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 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 excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning 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 four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
