There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
