It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away 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 target.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
