It's obvious why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
