The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome 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 crucial element why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.
They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (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 recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.