There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - 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 juncture 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
