There's little doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time 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 spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
