There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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 Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
