It's obvious why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is especially notable 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
