It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
