It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop 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 resulting 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 particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
