There's no doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 long-standing opponents 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
