'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal are the team to beat.

It's obvious why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.

Examine their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.

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

Defensive Dominance

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title goal.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).

The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Set-Piece Proficiency

Their danger from dead balls is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these situations.

They have notched 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 fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Claims

What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still ahead by four points at the top.

While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this stage of the season since 1992 that none of Manchester City and United, Liverpool or Chelsea are in the Premier League top four.

The scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive 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 pundits have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.