It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best 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 rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
