There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
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 in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest 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 well known, but rival sides still don't know how 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
