There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo 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.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
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 afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
