It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (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 strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming 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 great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
