It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (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 well known, but opposition teams still find it difficult 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
