The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.
Look at their results against Newcastle 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 faded 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 stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still struggle 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
