There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this stage 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 outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
