There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to contain 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest 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 several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
