The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent 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 dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest 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 various contests
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.
