There's no doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their results 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 faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (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 danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
