It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
