It's clear why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive 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 four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
