There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets 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 pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
