It's obvious why Arsenal are now numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
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.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
