'People are afraid' - the reasons 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.
The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal are now countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them this time around, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still find it difficult to contain the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, a couple extra than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can do a bit of everything now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is particularly notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United on the road and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the first time 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the business has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and possessing the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across various contests
Former players and experts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
