🔗 Share this article 'People are afraid' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the team to beat. Gabriel Magalhaes marks Arsenal's victory over Crystal Palace It's obvious why Arsenal stand as countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League during this term. Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign. The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season. Defensive Strength Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target. They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3). The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the finest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games. Set-Piece Proficiency Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances. They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations. "Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see." Title Claims What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced 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 maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004. But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite several injuries. Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games Over six hours without letting in a goal Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.