It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical 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 fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning 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 face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
