It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still struggle 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 fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more remarkable 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 four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
