There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents 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 acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
