It's clear why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited 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 having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
