It's clear why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the premier instance at this stage 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
