There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
