There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same 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 previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
