It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo 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.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
