It's evident why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
