It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
