The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is especially 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 in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the first time at this point 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
