There's little doubt why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest 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 tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
