There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight 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 pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
