There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds 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 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
