There's little doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games 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 all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
