There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
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 in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start 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 leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
