It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially 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 highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
