The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
