There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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 Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - 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 stage 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
