There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable 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 four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
