It's obvious why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to stop 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
