🔗 Share this article 'People are fearful' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes marks Arsenal's triumph over Crystal Palace It's evident why Arsenal are now numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term. Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches in the previous campaign. The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race previously. Defensive Strength Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title goal. They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3). The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games. Set-Piece Mastery Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still struggle to contain the Gunners from these opportunities. They have notched 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 Credentials What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top. While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004. But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite several injuries. Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games 385 minutes without letting in a goal Only three goals in 12 games across various contests Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.