There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
