There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
