'People are intimidated' - the reasons 'juggernaut' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
It's evident why Arsenal have become countless pundits' top picks to secure the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against Fulham and Crystal Palace in contrast with those equivalent matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race previously.
Defensive Prowess
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are appearing strong to at last realize their title target.
They rank top for shutouts (6), goals conceded (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 well known, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these opportunities.
They have notched 11 times from set-pieces in the league, two more than any other side, with 69% of their goals originating from these situations.
"Arsenal can perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also encountered Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United at opposition grounds and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they maintain victories, their historic competitors are struggling. 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 invested around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the business has so far paid off in impressive fashion, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the strongest defense, despite several injuries.
- Clean sheets in three straight Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only three goals in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and resolve.
