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It's clear why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.

Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.

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

Defensive Strength

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these chances.

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

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

Championship Claims

What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the initial occasion at this point 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 spent around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the business has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.

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

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