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There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.

Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent 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 previously.

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.

They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Expertise

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.

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

"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."

Title Claims

What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent 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 impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
• 385 minutes without letting in a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and purpose.