It's clear why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
