There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
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.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 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 daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
