It's obvious why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more 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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
