There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
