It's clear why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop 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 wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable 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 leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
