It's obvious why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
