There's little doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
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 previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
