The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (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.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.
