The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially 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 in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion at this juncture 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three 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 described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
