It's clear why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping 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 struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating 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."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this point 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
