There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining 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 find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
