It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (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 Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
