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There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League during this term.

Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously.

Defensive Strength

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Superiority

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.

They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Potential

What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.