'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing 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.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but opposition teams still struggle to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional 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 daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more notable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered 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 continue triumphing, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having invested around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without letting in a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and pundits have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
