It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (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.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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."
Title Claims
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
