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There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.

Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches last season.

The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.

They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Set-Piece Proficiency

Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.

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

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

Title Claims

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

While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
• 385 minutes without letting in a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament

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