There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this point 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 signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
