There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly 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 at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts 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 every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
