There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.
