The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played 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 historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
