It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
