It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
