It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (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 finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
