Sporting CP vs Arsenal: 3 things learned | UEFA Europa League 2018-19

#3 A motivated Matteo Guendouzi

Arsenal fans voted him as their player for the month in August 2018

For the first few games of the season, the French teenage sensation was arguably Arsenal's best player, especially in games against Manchester City and Chelsea. He was confident on the ball despite facing world-class opponents, and was not fazed by the occasion.

Little wonder, Arsenal fans voted him as their player for the month in August 2018. However, when Lucas Torreira came up in the second half of games, he seemed to add more bite to the attack, and he seemed more positive going forward than Guendouzi.

This informed Unai Emery's decision to drop him from the starting 11, and Torreira was preferred alongside Xhaka in midfield.

However, when he has come on in games, he has seemed motivated to recapture that early season form.

In the first half alone, Guendouzi had 47 touches, and made 40 passes, more than any other player on the pitch, and boasted a passing accuracy rate of 87.5 percent – bettered only by Aaron Ramsey and Mohamed Elneny.

This is only a positive selection headache for Emery whose players are hitting form just at the right time of the season.