The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining 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 struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
