It's clear why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
