It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
