🔗 Share this article 'People are afraid' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes rejoices Arsenal's win over Crystal Palace It's clear why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season. Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches during the prior term. The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign. Impenetrable Defense Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target. They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3). The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games. Set-Piece Mastery Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these opportunities. They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations. "Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see." Championship Pedigree What is especially impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top. While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004. But the spending has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries. Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games 385 minutes without conceding a goal Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.