The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
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 in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.
