'People are fearful' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.

It's evident why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.

Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.

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

Impenetrable Rearguard

Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title target.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.

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

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

Title Potential

What is especially notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament

Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and purpose.