It's clear why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (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.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive 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 possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
