The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.
