3 players who have impressed for Arsenal vs Newcastle United

#2 Granit Xhaka

Xhaka opened the scoring with a stunning free kick

For a player that is often derided and scapegoated by the fans and pundits alike, Granit Xhaka is the player that they have to rely on up to influence games from the deep. There is no one like him in the squad that does what he does best.

The Swiss maestro was dreadful in the opening half just like every other Arsenal player but came to life in the second half by opening the scoring with a delightful free kick in the 49th minute. He was heavily involved in the creation of the second goal with his cutback finding Alexandre Lacazette, whose goalbound effort resulted in Mesut Ozil scoring from the rebound. His probing passes were a constant nightmare for the Magpies throughout the half.

Throughout the second half, Xhaka gave a tantalizing glimpse of what he is and what to expect from him when his defensive burden is lessened and given time on the ball. For fans wondering about why he isn’t dropped yet, his second-half performance is telling and vindictive of the trust his coach has on him.