The proof is undeniable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.
