There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to stop 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
