'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the side to defeat.
There's no doubt why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League this season.
Look at their outcomes against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have beaten all of them in the current season, but lost 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Rearguard
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to at last realize their title ambition.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals allowed (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The center-back duo of Gabriel and William Saliba is potentially the best in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Expertise
Their threat from set-pieces is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these chances.
They have notched 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 excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just wary of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Claims
What is even more remarkable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City in their own stadium - and are still four points clear at the top.
While they keep winning, their traditional rivals aren't faring so well. 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 boss Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that long-awaited first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far yielded results in style, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and boasting the strongest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Unbreached games in three consecutive Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across all competitions
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with belief and determination.
