It's clear why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six 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 difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
