It's obvious why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
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 appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, 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, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
