It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
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 previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this point of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
