It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and determination.
