The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.
