There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 excellent 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 on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
