There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
