There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.
