There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
