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There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

Consider their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.

Impenetrable Backline

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

They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Mastery

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

They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."

Championship Claims

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

While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
• Over six hours without allowing a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament

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