There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (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 recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
