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It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.

Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.

The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title goal.

They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Superiority

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.

They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."

Championship Claims

What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament

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