There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, 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, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
