It's evident why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize 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 intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
