The proof is undeniable why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.
