There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to stop 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
