The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned 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 potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
