There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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 threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
