The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six 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 hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
