It's clear why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is especially notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
