There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
