'People are fearful' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the team to beat.

There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' favorites to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.

Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (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 Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.

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

Championship Pedigree

What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds 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 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 allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Shutouts 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 analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.