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There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.

Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.

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 previously.

Impenetrable Rearguard

Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title goal.

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

The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Set-Piece Expertise

Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.

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

"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see."

Title Potential

What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they keep winning, their traditional rivals 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• 385 minutes without allowing a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

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