It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical 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 last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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 danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
