It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (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 Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested 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 one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
