The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (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 best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
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 wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
