"Give him some credit please" - Xhaka unhappy after 24-year-old's display in Arsenal win earlier this term is labeled as 'average' 

Granit Xhaka was unhappy with the assessment of Takehiro Tomiyasu's performance in Arsenal's 3-2 win against Liverpool at the Emirates on October 9, 2022.

In a YouTube video posted by the official club account, Xhaka, Tomiyasu, and William Saliba took part in a game where they guessed each other's statistics from a particular game.

The games in question were the win against the Reds, the 3-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur on October 1, and a 5-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on October 30. Xhaka was asked to guess the Japan international's statistics in the match against Liverpool.

On the basis of those guesses, Tomiyasu was given a rating of 111. Based on specific metrics, anything between 80 and 120 signified an average performance.

Xhaka took exception to this. The Switzerland international said immediately after the former Bologna defender was handed his score (h/t The Boot Room):

"No, sorry guys, but I think you watched a different game to us. This is not true. To play against Salah is not easy, no. He was taken off after 75 minutes. He put Henderson on the right to defend. So give him some credit please next time."

Tomiyasu can play anywhere across the defensive line but is largely used as a right-back by manager Mikel Arteta. He started down the left flank against Liverpool and was handed the task of marking Mohamed Salah.

The Egypt international was largely ineffective in the game and was substituted in the 69th minute. As Xhaka mentioned, Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson was moved around the field to help negate Tomiyasu's attacking threat.

Arsenal took the lead thrice in that game, with Bukayo Saka's 76th-minute penalty being the difference on the day.

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Arsenal face daunting north London derby task as Premier League title bid continues

Arsenal are well placed to win their first Premier League title in 19 years. With 14 wins from 17 games, they are atop the table with 44 points.

Manchester City caught up on their lead in the recent gameweek, but the gap between the two teams still stands at five points. With 21 league games still left, it won't be an easy task for the Gunners to remain at the top.

Like in any given season, a north London derby is one of the toughest fixtures on the Gunners' calendar. They beat the Lilywhites 3-1 earlier this campaign, but Tottenham will be out for revenge at their home ground this time around on January 15.

With every 'big six' team that Arsenal beat, their bid for the league title strengthens. For a long time, their poor record against top clubs has been their downfall domestically.

But something about them feels different this season. They still, however, have two head-to-head games left against Manchester City in the league.