It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
