There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes 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 dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
