It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
