'People are fearful' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Consider their performances against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's defensive strength is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title target.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), shots on target faced (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 Excellence
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still find it difficult to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra 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 daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Championship Credentials
What is especially remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still leading by four at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their long-standing opponents aren't faring so well. This marks the first time at this juncture 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far proven successful in style, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now functioning with conviction and determination.