'People are fearful' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the side to defeat.

The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal are now many people's favorites to win the Premier League this season.

Consider their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

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

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).

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

Set-Piece Proficiency

Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but rival sides still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these chances.

They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.

"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."

Title Claims

What is even more impressive 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 four points clear at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.