There's little doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent 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.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, 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, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting 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 wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and purpose.
