'People are intimidated' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the team to beat.

It's evident why Arsenal have become numerous fans' top picks to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.

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

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.

They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).

The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping 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 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 resulting from these situations.

"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."

Championship Pedigree

What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the premier instance at this point 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
• 385 minutes without conceding a goal
• Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions

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