The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful 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 at home - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and determination.
