It's evident why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (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.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this stage 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and determination.
