There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 intimidation presence. People are just afraid 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 on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
