'People are afraid' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the side to defeat.

It's evident why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.

Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

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

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.

They stand first for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).

The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Set-Piece Expertise

Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.

They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Claims

What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.