Granit Xhaka proved how important he is to Arsenal with his actions in their 3-1 victory over bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Gunners consolidated their place at the top of the Premier League with a quality performance in the first north London derby of the season.
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Xhaka has adapted his game under Mikel Arteta and become more of a box-to-box midfielder rather than sitting deeper as he did under previous managers.
Arsenal's squad is one of the youngest in the league too, and the experienced Xhaka appears to be thriving with more responsibility.
Midfield partner Thomas Partey opened the scoring inside 20 minutes with an outrageous first-time effort which sent the Emirates Stadium wild.
Partey had a chance to celebrate but with the game nowhere near over Xhaka thought it was important for his teammates to keep their composure.
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The Switzerland international gathered everyone into a huddle, before delivering a speech on the pitch.
Fans on social media picked up on Xhaka's actions and praised him, given Arsenal's ability to capitulate in games over the last few years.
One person said: "Martin Odegaard wears the armband but Xhaka is such a big presence."
Another commented: "You saw that Xhaka team talk when the team was celebrating during the goal! My CAPTAIN!"
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A third put: "He might not have the armband, but Xhaka is the real captain of that Arsenal team."
While someone tweeted: "Xhaka knew exactly what to do there."
Spurs did equalise 11 minutes later after Gabriel brought down Richarlison in the penalty area.
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Harry Kane stepped up to fire past Aaron Ramsdale and bag his 100th away goal in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta's side retook the lead four minutes after the break through Gabriel Jesus. The striker pounced on a Hugo Lloris mistake for his fifth goal since joining from Manchester City in the summer.
Spurs full-back Emerson Royal was sent off midway through the second half after planting his boot on Gabriel Martinelli's ankle.
It was a strange challenge to make with Martinelli running towards his own goal while under pressure.
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Five minutes later, Xhaka capped off a fine performance with a goal of his own to seal all three points.
It's a remarkable turnaround for Xhaka, who was booed off the pitch during a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in 2019.
Could it be one of the Premier League's greatest modern comeback stories?
Featured Image Credit: BT SportTopics: Granit Xhaka, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League
