There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches last season.
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 previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
