There's no doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome 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 Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
