'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the team to beat.
The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal stand as many people's top picks to claim the Premier League in the current campaign.
Look at their performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them during this campaign, but lost 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the best in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more 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 in their own stadium - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the premier instance at this stage 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 beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and having the strongest defense, despite multiple 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 every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
