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There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

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

The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.

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

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably 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 highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.

They have registered 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Potential

What is even more impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 signings in search of that elusive first title since 2004.

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

• Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
• 385 minutes without conceding a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.