The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 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."
Title Credentials
What is particularly 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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and determination.
