There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
