There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time at this stage 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
