It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best 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 widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is especially notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
