🔗 Share this article 'People are fearful' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes celebrates Arsenal's victory over Crystal Palace The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term. Consider their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus 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. Defensive Prowess Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition. They lead the league for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3). The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games. Set-Piece Mastery Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances. They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations. "Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see." Title Potential What is especially notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited 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 boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries. Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games Over six hours without letting in a goal Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.