It's evident why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable 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 leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.
