It's evident why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
