The proof is undeniable why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
