It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
