It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
