There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more 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 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 outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
