It's obvious why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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."
Title Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
