It's clear why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals 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 invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
