There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated 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 key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (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.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced 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 maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and determination.
