🔗 Share this article

There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season.

Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches last season.

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

Impenetrable Rearguard

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

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

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

Dead-Ball Dominance

Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.

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 do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."

Title Claims

What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - 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 point 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Over six hours without letting in a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.