'People are intimidated' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the team to beat.

It's clear why Arsenal have become numerous fans' favorites to secure the Premier League this season.

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

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

Impenetrable Defense

Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.

They rank top for unbreached games (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).

The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.

Set-Piece Proficiency

Their effectiveness from free kicks is widely recognized, but opposition teams still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.

They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more 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 daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."

Championship Pedigree

What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still four points clear at the top.

While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.

But the investment has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.

• Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
• Over six hours without allowing a goal
• Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests

Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and determination.