It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
