There's little doubt why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 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 business has so far paid off in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
