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There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.

Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches during the prior term.

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

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Expertise

Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still don't know how to stop 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 resulting from these situations.

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

Title Claims

What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance at this juncture 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 start, having spent around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• 385 minutes without letting in a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and purpose.