It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
