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It's clear why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.

Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.

The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive strength 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), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

The defensive partnership 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 effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.

They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.

"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Claims

What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries.

• Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.