It's obvious why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming 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."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted 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 possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
