"I can't remember a player recovering from that kind of humiliation" - Robbie Fowler says Arsenal star's redemption sums up their season so far

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has lauded Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka for reinventing himself as a player after initial struggles at the club. He has compared his resurgence to the Gunners' recent form.

Xhaka, who arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach for £35 million in the summer of 2016, has been a divisive figure for most of his time in London.

A former club captain, Xhaka was stripped of the responsibility by former head coach Unai Emery after swearing at fans during a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in October 2019. However, after mending his relationship with the supporters over the last two years, the 30-year-old is now a crucial squad member of Mikel Arteta's squad.

In his column for Mirror, Fowler shared his thoughts about Xhaka and analyzed his new role at the centre of the park in Arteta's setup. He wrote:

"The redemption of Granit Xhaka is indicative of Arsenal’s reemergence this season. The Swiss midfielder has been a bit of a liability since arriving from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016. Which, tellingly, was the last time Arsenal finished in the top four."

He added:

"Xhaka always seems to be walking the tightrope between a booking and a red card. And when he was booed off by fans after being substituted three years ago, his time at the Emirates appeared to be up. I can't remember a player recovering from that kind of humiliation before. But Arteta saw that behind Xhaka's frustration was a player."

He continued:

"Xhaka appears to have been given more freedom to get himself further forward this season instead of being reigned in by the need to shield the defence and make tackles that often bordered on desperation. To see him with a huge grin on his face as he picked up his man-of-the-match award against Tottenham was a nice moment."

Xhaka has opened the 2022-23 campaign on a positive note, scoring two goals and contributing three assists in eight Premier League matches.

Arsenal are currently second in the 2022-23 Premier League standings with 21 points from eight games. The club are scheduled to lock horns with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (October 9).

Arsenal starlet Gabriel Martinelli heaps praise on vice-captain Granit Xhaka

Speaking to The Times, Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli highlighted Granit Xhaka's importance to the squad. He elaborated:

"Xhaka is an amazing lad. You see how much he dedicates himself to the team, how much he cares about the match and the players as well, he is definitely one of our leaders."

He added:

"For young players like me and Bukayo [Saka], it's very important to have a team-mate like him."