There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
