There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
