It's evident why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially 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 widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight 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 analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
