The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League during this term.
Look at their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three 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 belief and purpose.
