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It's evident why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.

Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.

Impenetrable Backline

Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Dominance

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these chances.

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

"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Pedigree

What is even more notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament

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