The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
