'People are intimidated' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.

There's no doubt why Arsenal have become many people's preferred choice to claim the Premier League during this term.

Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.

The Gunners have defeated all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race in the prior campaign.

Impenetrable Backline

Arsenal's defensive strength is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.

They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).

The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the finest 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 widely recognized, but opposition teams 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."

Title Claims

What is particularly notable about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 pressure was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far proven successful in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.

• Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
• 385 minutes without letting in a goal
• Only three goals in 12 games across all competitions

Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and determination.