It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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 Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
