It's obvious why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
