There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest 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 well known, but opposition teams still struggle 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 originating 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 great to see."
Championship Credentials
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 on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this stage 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
