The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 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 crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (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 maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
