'People are intimidated' - why 'juggernaut' Arsenal are the side to defeat.
It's obvious why Arsenal have become many people's favorites to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace in contrast with those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to ultimately achieve their title target.
They rank top for clean sheets (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and xGA (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their effectiveness from free kicks is well known, but competing clubs still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Title Credentials
What is even more 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 in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their traditional rivals are struggling. This marks the premier instance 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 scrutiny was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in pursuit of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without conceding a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and experts have described Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and purpose.
