It's evident why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent 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 among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
