The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (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 strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played 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 continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
