There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo 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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
