The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
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), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced 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 historic competitors are struggling. 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
