'People are fearful' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.

There's little doubt why Arsenal are now numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.

Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.

The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their danger from dead balls is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.

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 wary of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Claims

What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they keep winning, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the first time 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 beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Shutouts in three straight Premier League games
• Over six hours without conceding a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.