There's no doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this juncture 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
