The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become numerous fans' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start 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 four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
