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There's little doubt why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to secure the Premier League this season.

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

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

Impenetrable Rearguard

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Mastery

Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.

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

"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Potential

What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.

• Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests

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