There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple 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 all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
