There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated 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.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid 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 faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
