The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Excellence
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.
