"He's a fighter and someone who is going to face moments of adversity" - Mikel Arteta hails Arsenal star's turnaround after 1-0 Chelsea win
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hailed midfielder Granit Xhaka for the turnaround he has made at the club.
Xhaka is a former captain of the north London club. However, he has shared an up-and-down relationship with the fans. During a 2-2 home draw against Crystal Palace in 2019, the Switzerland international was booed off the field by the fans. He was stripped of the captaincy after that incident, although he is currently one of the vice-captains.
However, he has made his critics eat their words this season with his scintillating performances. Xhaka has been phenomenal for Arteta's side so far this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in 18 games.
He was once again influential as the Gunners earned a 1-0 away win against Chelsea in the Premier League on November 6. Arteta lauded Xhaka's fighting spirit as he told the media after the game (via football.london):
"He’s a fighter and he’s someone who is going to face moments of adversity. Now he needs to learn to enjoy more the good moments and I think he enjoys that."
The Gunners are currently in pole position in the Premier League. They have 34 points on the board from 13 games and lead Manchester City by two points at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal have managed to get off to one of the best starts in the history of the Premier League.
Best @premierleague starts after 13 games:
37pts - Man City 2017-18 (finished 1st)
37pts - Liverpool 2019-20 (1st)
35pts - Man City 2011-12 (1st)
35pts - Man City 2018-19 (1st)
34pts - Newcastle 1995-96 (2nd)
34pts - Chelsea 2005-06 (1st)
34pts - ARSENAL 2022-23 (?) 🆕 https://t.co/ZMjLgCUb04
Arsenal have now won three back-to-back Premier League games at Stamford Bridge
Arsenal just can't stop rewriting the record books so far this season. They have now won three back-to-back games at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1952.
Gabriel Magalhaes scored the only goal of the London derby in the 63rd minute of the game to secure the win on Sunday. He has now scored from nine corners since joining the club, the most by a player in the timeline.
9 - Gabriel Magalhães has scored nine goals from corner situations in the Premier League, the most of any player in the competition since he joined prior to the 2020-21 campaign.
9 - Gabriel Magalhães
8 - Harry Kane
6 - Zouma, Salah, Dunk
Threat. https://t.co/sXHVbLEiRT
The Gunners last achieved the feat between 1949 and 1951. Arteta acknowledged the statistic as he said:
"I think they were very different. The first one, compared to this one is very different. They are wins. It’s so difficult to do it against this club. We’ve done it but I’m especially pleased with how we’ve won today. I think that’s really difficult to do."