It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
