There's little doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
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 last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
