🔗 Share this article 'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes celebrates Arsenal's triumph over Crystal Palace There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season. Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches in the previous campaign. The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign. Impenetrable Rearguard Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title goal. They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3). The defensive partnership 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 Expertise Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances. They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see." Championship Credentials What is even more 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 in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top. While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004. But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries. Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing 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 operating with conviction and determination.