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It's evident why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to claim the Premier League this season.

Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.

The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 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 at last realize their title goal.

They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Mastery

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.

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

Championship Claims

What is even more impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 keep winning, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
• Over six hours without letting in a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.