There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
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 last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
