'People are fearful' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
It's obvious why Arsenal are now many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a primary factor why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the finest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but competing clubs still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have registered 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals resulting from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Title Claims
What is especially impressive about Arsenal's commencement to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their historic competitors are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 outset, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in search of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far paid off in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three 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 analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and resolve.
