There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
