'People are afraid' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the team to beat.

There's little doubt why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.

Examine their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same 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 Strength

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title target.

They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (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 threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still find it difficult 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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."

Title Credentials

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 on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and purpose.