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

The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to claim the Premier League this season.

Examine their performances against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.

Defensive Prowess

Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to at last realize their title ambition.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Dead-Ball Excellence

Their effectiveness from free kicks is highly documented, but rival sides still struggle to contain 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 originating from these situations.

"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."

Championship Pedigree

What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - 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 first time 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 expectations was on boss Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the spending has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
• Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across various contests

Former players and experts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and resolve.