It's clear why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
