It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
