It's obvious why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
