There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid 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 away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
