'People are afraid' - why 'powerhouse' Arsenal are the squad everyone fears.
The evidence is unmistakable why Arsenal stand as many people's preferred choice to win the Premier League this season.
Examine their results against Fulham and Crystal Palace compared to those equivalent matches last season.
The Gunners have overcome all of them during this campaign, but dropped 10 points across those games as they faded in the title race in the prior campaign.
Defensive Strength
Arsenal's defensive strength is a key reason why they are looking well positioned to ultimately achieve their title ambition.
They lead the league for shutouts (6), shots let in (3), shots faced (72), dangerous chances allowed (19) and anticipated concessions (5.3).
The central defensive pairing of Gabriel and William Saliba is possibly the strongest in the league, with Arsenal maintaining a clean sheet in six of their first nine games.
Set-Piece Proficiency
Their danger from dead balls is highly documented, but competing clubs still don't know how to stop the Gunners from these situations.
They have scored 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 perform multiple roles now. The whole team has a fear factor. People are just fearful of them and it is excellent to see."
Championship Credentials
What is even more notable 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 traditional rivals 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 scrutiny was on head coach Mikel Arteta at the start, having allocated around £250m on eight summer acquisitions in quest of that coveted first title since 2004.
But the spending has so far paid off in remarkable manner, with his side second top scorers in the league and boasting the tightest defense, despite numerous injuries.
- Clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League games
- Over six hours without allowing a goal
- Only a handful of concessions in 12 games across every tournament
Former players and pundits have labeled Arteta's men as a "juggernaut, looking challenging to stop" with the whole club now performing with confidence and resolve.