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The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League during this term.

Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.

Defensive Strength

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.

They rank top for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Superiority

Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Claims

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

While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.