There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
