There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.