The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest 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 various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
