There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest 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 competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
