There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
