It's evident why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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 Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and determination.
