There's little doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (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 danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
