It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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 Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending 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 multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding 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 challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
