The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
