There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable 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 leading by four 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
