The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
