🔗 Share this article 'People are fearful' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears. Gabriel Magalhaes marks Arsenal's victory over Crystal Palace It's evident why Arsenal have become many people's top picks to secure the Premier League during this term. Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term. The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously. Impenetrable Rearguard Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are seeming ready to finally fulfil their title ambition. They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3). The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games. Set-Piece Expertise Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations. They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations. "Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just wary of them and it is excellent to see." Championship Claims What is particularly notable 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 continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited 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 possessing the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries. Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.