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It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.

Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches last season.

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

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Dominance

Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.

They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.

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

Championship Claims

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

While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.

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

• Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
• 385 minutes without allowing a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.