There's little doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest 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 every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
