There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining 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 contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning 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 traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
