It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited 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 possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
