It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
