The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize 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 resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and resolve.
