The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings 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 boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
