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The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League this season.

Look at their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches during the prior term.

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

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.

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

The central defensive pairing 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 danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.

They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating 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 wonderful to see."

Championship Pedigree

What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions

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