The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts 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 labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
