It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the premier instance at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
