It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this stage 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
