There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
