It's evident why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
