There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title 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 four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this juncture 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
