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It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.

Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.

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

Impenetrable Backline

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.

They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.

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

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

Championship Pedigree

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

While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.

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

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and resolve.