It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away 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 target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning 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 keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
