There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best 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 highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning 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 four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
