It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
