There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and determination.
