There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (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 Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
