There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (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 Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
