It's clear why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
