'People are fearful' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
There's no doubt why Arsenal stand as many people's favorites to secure the Premier League during this term.
Examine their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to finally fulfil their title ambition.
They stand first for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (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 maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their threat from set-pieces is highly documented, but opposition teams still don't know how to contain the Gunners from these situations.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer signings in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions 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 belief and determination.
