It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
