The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal have become numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and determination.
