It's obvious why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming 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 wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is especially notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
