'People are intimidated' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the team to beat.

The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.

Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.

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

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Expertise

Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these chances.

They have notched 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."

Championship Claims

What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning 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 ahead by four points at the top.

While they maintain victories, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this stage 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 beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions

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