There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to 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 last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
