It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played 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 face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
