It's obvious why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
