There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated 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 Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest 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 opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this point 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
