🔗 Share this article 'People are intimidated' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes celebrates Arsenal's victory over Crystal Palace The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season. Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term. The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season. Defensive Dominance Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition. They rank top for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3). The center-back duo 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. Set-Piece Expertise Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations. They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations. "Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is excellent to see." Title Potential What is especially impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top. While they maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the first time 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004. But the spending has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries. Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games 385 minutes without letting in a goal Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.