There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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 highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
