'People are afraid' - the reasons 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the squad everyone fears.
The proof is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as numerous fans' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace versus those same matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race previously.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They lead the league for clean sheets (6), shots let in (3), opposition efforts (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but opposition teams still find it difficult to stop the Gunners from these opportunities.
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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is great to see."
Championship Pedigree
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's start to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors face difficulties. 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit of that long-awaited 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 boasting the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have described Arteta's men as a "powerhouse, looking hard to stop" with the whole club now operating with conviction and purpose.
