The Arsenal midfielder won more tackles and more ball recoveries than any other player this weekend.
Sunday afternoon proved to be a happy one for Arsenal as they returned to wining ways against Bournemouth.
Goals from Alexis Sanchez (2) and Theo Walcott saw the Gunners to a 3-1 victory and their first win in two games after draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
It was an impressive performance from the Gunners, who looked much like their usual selves against Eddie Howe’s team.
Bournemouth’s Dan Gosling in action with Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka
The win was largely built on a strong midfield performance, as midfield duo Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka helped Arsene Wenger’s side to edge out the possession stats 52% to 48%.
And it seems the Switzerland midfielder enjoyed a particularly impressive afternoon as he topped the Premier League stat charts in two key areas.
| Team | Won Tackles | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granit Xhaka | Arsenal | 8 | 90 |
| Etienne Capoue | Watford | 5 | 90 |
| Mame Biram Diouf | Stoke | 5 | 90 |
| Fernando | Man City | 5 | 90 |
| Dan Gosling | Bournemouth | 5 | 90 |
| Cheikhou Kouyaté | West Ham | 5 | 90 |
Across all the Premier League games this weekend he managed to win more tackles that any other player.
He posted eight won tackles against Bournemouth, three more than several other players, including Watford’s Etienne Capoue, West Ham United’s Cheikhou Kouyate and Manchester City’s Fernando.
| Team | Ball Recoveries | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granit Xhaka | Arsenal | 14 | 90 |
| Daniel Amartey | Leicester | 13 | 90 |
He was also top of the charts when it came to ball recoveries, having managed 14 in total against the Cherries.
That was the most managed by any outfield player this weekend, just ahead of Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey.
An impressive weekend for Xhaka then, who is continuing to look like a smart signing by Arsene Wenger this summer.
Bournemouth’s Dan Gosling in action with Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka
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