There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent 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.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
