The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts 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 characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and purpose.
