It's clear why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Newcastle 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 fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
