It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight 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 analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
