There's no doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to 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 dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
