'People are afraid' - why 'unstoppable force' Arsenal have become the side to defeat.
There's no doubt why Arsenal have become countless pundits' favorites to win the Premier League during this term.
Look at their outcomes against Newcastle and Crystal Palace compared to those same matches in the previous campaign.
The Gunners have defeated all of them in the current season, but dropped 10 points across those games as they fell away in the title race in the prior campaign.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's defensive solidity is a key reason why they are appearing strong to finally fulfil their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals conceded (3), opposition efforts (72), quality opportunities against (19) and expected goals against (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the best in the league, with Arsenal recording a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Dead-Ball Dominance
Their threat from set-pieces is well known, but opposition teams still struggle to stop the Gunners from these chances.
They have scored 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 intimidation presence. People are just fearful of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is even more notable about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also played Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United away from home and Manchester City on home turf - and are still ahead by four points at the top.
While they keep winning, their historic competitors 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 expectations was on manager Mikel Arteta at the outset, having spent around £250m on eight summer additions in quest of that elusive first title since 2004.
But the business has so far proven successful in impressive fashion, with his side among the highest scorers in the league and possessing the most resilient defense, despite several injuries.
- Unbreached games in each of their last three Premier League games
- 385 minutes without allowing a goal
- Only a trio of goals in 12 games across various contests
Former players and analysts have characterized Arteta's men as a "unstoppable force, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now functioning with belief and determination.
