There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
