It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting 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 excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
