There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors 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 invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals 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 performing with belief and resolve.
