It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 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 looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
