There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the initial occasion at this point 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
