There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
