Arsenal Vs Burnley: 5 key players to watch – Nicolas Pepe under pressure

4. Granit Xhaka

The revitalisation of Granit Xhaka has been quite remarkable. The reluctant club captain, who told the supporters to ‘f*ck off’, was stripped of the captaincy that Unai Emery was so hesitant to hand him, and then spent a month in the shadows as he recovered from the ordeal, is now a key player under new head coach Mikel Arteta.

Xhaka still has the same flaws as before. He is immobile, overly dependent on his left foot, and struggles when receiving the ball under pressure by a defender. But Arteta has crafted a pseudo-left-back-central-midfield role that suits Xhaka’s skill set perfectly and has seen the Swiss international flourish as a result.

When in possession, Xhaka shifts to the left side of the centre-backs. This allows the left-back to push high up the pitch, adding to the offensive width, helps protect the counter-attack in transition, and makes him more difficult to press as he receives the ball a little deeper and wider in the pitch. He has flourished as a result. Hopefully, that will continue. With Arteta sure to send the left-back flying up the pitch, Xhaka will need to replicate his performances or recent weeks.