'People are afraid' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the team to beat.
There's little doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to win the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace in contrast with 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 previously.
Impenetrable Defense
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They rank top for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), attempts against (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Superiority
Their danger from dead balls 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, several additional 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Claims
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City at home - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they keep winning, their long-standing opponents are struggling. 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in impressive fashion, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and pundits have characterized Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and purpose.
