There's no doubt why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Credentials
What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.
