There's little doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
