It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to stop 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 expectations was on boss 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 proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
