Granit Xhaka has found his Arsenal swagger in midfield

Granit Xhaka was widely praised for his performance in Arsenal’s 3-1 win against Leicester City. As the game progressed, it was clear that his confidence grew.

When he lost the ball in the build-up to Youri Tielemans’ early goal, a humbling afternoon – both for Granit Xhaka and his teammates – felt inevitable.

Regardless, Arsenal re-composed themselves and took the lead before half-time, thanks to a well-worked set-piece and an emphatic Alexandre Lacazette penalty. Nicolas Pépé’s goal five minutes after the interval effectively ensured the win for Mikel Arteta’s men.

Re-watching the game, it was during the second-half that Xhaka’s growing confidence became abundantly clear. He was central to Pépé’s goal, playing a lovely pass out to the Ivorian after pouncing on a loose ball. From there, his confidence hit new heights.

We knew that Granit Xhaka was resilient, but he found his swagger for Arsenal against Leicester City

Approaching the 77th minute, Xhaka received a pass from Kieran Tierney near the left-hand touchline. Leicester pressed aggressively in an attempt to regain possession. Xhaka had scanned twice before controlling the ball and played a beautiful pass around the corner to Thomas Partey with the outside of his left foot. Four Leicester players were immediately taken out of the game.

After an aerial duel with Jamie Vardy, he showed great effort to cover the vacant left-back position and dispossess Cengiz Ünder with a sliding challenge. The ensuing ‘chop pass’ to Willian started a promising Arsenal attack.

It was an industrious and composed display from the Swiss, but there was a unmissable swagger to his play after Pépé’s goal. While doubts will persist about his place in the Arsenal team long-term, for the time being, his improved form and growing confidence – combined with Thomas Partey’s return to fitness – are reasons for optimism.

All of the above is especially impressive considering the sheer volume of minutes he’s played this season. Indeed, the 27-year-old’s outing against the Foxes was his 12th consecutive start for the club, completing the full 90 minutes in each of the fixtures. Add to that the tight turnover times between each match and his superb displays are deserving of even greater praise.

He looks set to continue that trend when Arsenal travel to Turf Moor on Saturday to face Burnley in the Premier League.