It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (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 keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played 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 continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this stage 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 spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
