It's clear why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent 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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
