The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this juncture of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.
The scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
