It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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 Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.
