The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming 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."
Championship Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
