It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo 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.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
