It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played 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 keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest 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 every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
