'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the side to defeat.
It's obvious why Arsenal are now countless pundits' top picks to claim the Premier League during this term.
Examine their results against West Ham and Crystal Palace versus those identical matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but surrendered 10 points across those games as they dropped off in the title race last season.
Impenetrable Backline
Arsenal's backline resilience is a primary factor why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title goal.
They stand first for shutouts (6), goals allowed (3), shots faced (72), shots on target faced (19) and xGA (5.3).
The defensive partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba is arguably the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their effectiveness from free kicks 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 coming from these situations.
"Arsenal can excel in various aspects now. The whole team has a daunting aura. People are just afraid of them and it is wonderful to see."
Title Potential
What is particularly impressive about Arsenal's beginning to the campaign is they have also faced 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 keep winning, their historic competitors aren't faring so well. This marks the initial occasion 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 pressure was on manager Mikel Arteta at the beginning, having spent around ÂŁ250m on eight summer acquisitions in search of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the investment has so far yielded results in remarkable manner, with his side one of the most prolific attacks in the league and having the most resilient defense, despite multiple injuries.
- Shutouts in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without conceding 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 difficult to stop" with the whole club now operating with belief and determination.
