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The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.

Consider their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.

Impenetrable Backline

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

They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Mastery

Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations.

They have registered 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."

Title Potential

What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions

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