It's evident why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
