There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning 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 leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
