The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
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 excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
