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There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.

Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.

They have scored 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see."

Championship Pedigree

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

While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.

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

• Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

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