There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this stage 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
