There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
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 lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start 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 traditional rivals 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
