The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
