It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop 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 fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time at this point 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings 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 numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
