There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (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 opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize 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 resulting 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 excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
