'People are intimidated' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
It's evident why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a crucial element why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, several additional than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Claims
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's commencement 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 continue triumphing, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Shutouts in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and resolve.
