The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially notable 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 maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
