There's no doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
