It's evident why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest 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 find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business 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.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
