The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's commencement 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted 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 boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.
