There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
