It's obvious why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion at this juncture of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
