It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
