The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
