The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
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 Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating 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 Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment 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 numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours 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 "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
