There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
