There's no doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
