It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
