It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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 Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
