The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
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, 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 great to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive 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 "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
