It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo 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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
