The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership 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.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - 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 point 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.
