'People are fearful' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal are the team to beat.

It's evident why Arsenal are now many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.

Examine their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches during the prior term.

The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), shots let in (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 possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.

They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Credentials

What is even more impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road 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 juncture of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.

The expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.

• Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
• 385 minutes without allowing a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.