It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
