The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 scrutiny was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.
