'People are fearful' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the side to defeat.
The evidence is undeniable why Arsenal have become countless pundits' preferred choice to secure the Premier League in the current campaign.
Consider their results against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those identical matches during the prior term.
The Gunners have defeated all of them this time around, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Dominance
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are seeming ready to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for unbreached games (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal keeping a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Mastery
Their danger from dead balls is widely recognized, but rival sides still don't know how to neutralize the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 excellent to see."
Title Credentials
What is particularly 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 ahead by four points at the top.
While they continue triumphing, their traditional rivals face difficulties. This marks the initial occasion 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 head coach Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in pursuit 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 possessing the most resilient defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in three consecutive Premier League games
- Nearly 6.5 hours without letting in a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and analysts have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking difficult to stop" with the whole club now performing with conviction and determination.
