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There's little doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League this season.

Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have overcome 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 Dominance

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title target.

They stand first 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 maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities.

They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.

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

Championship Credentials

What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted 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 boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
• 385 minutes without allowing a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and resolve.