The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to stop 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 originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played 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 traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
