It's evident why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
