'People are afraid' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.

It's clear why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 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 seeming ready to at last realize their title goal.

They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Mastery

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but competing clubs still struggle to neutralize 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 originating from these situations.

"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Claims

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 leading by four at the top.

While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer signings in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• 385 minutes without allowing a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.