There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
