It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement 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 four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
