It's clear why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo 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 Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful 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 away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three 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 experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
