🔗 Share this article 'People are afraid' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the side to defeat. Gabriel Magalhaes marks Arsenal's victory over Crystal Palace It's clear why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season. Examine their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign. The Gunners have overcome all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign. Defensive Prowess Arsenal's defensive strength 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), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (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. Set-Piece Proficiency Their danger from dead balls is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to neutralize the Gunners from these chances. They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations. "Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see." Championship Claims What is particularly impressive 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 ahead by four points at the top. While they keep winning, 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004. But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries. Shutouts in three straight Premier League games 385 minutes without allowing a goal Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now functioning with confidence and resolve.