There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (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 danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
