'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.

There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.

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

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The center-back duo 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 Expertise

Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.

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

Championship Claims

What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.