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It's clear why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.

Examine their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches during the prior term.

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 last season.

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Expertise

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

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

"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."

Championship Claims

What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

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