There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to contain 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three 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 characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
