The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming 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."
Title Credentials
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the premier instance at this point 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
