'People are afraid' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.

It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.

Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.

The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title target.

They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).

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

Dead-Ball Superiority

Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.

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

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

Title Claims

What is particularly notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.

While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the business has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with confidence and determination.