🔗 Share this article 'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal are the team to beat. Gabriel Magalhaes rejoices Arsenal's triumph over Crystal Palace There's little doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term. Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign. The Gunners have defeated 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 Rearguard Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title ambition. They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3). The center-back duo 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 Mastery Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but rival sides still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities. They have registered 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see." Title Claims What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top. While they keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. 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 pressure was on boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004. But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries. Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.