Elneny (7.5/10) – His selection in the first team was unclear. Did Wenger play him cause he was leaving for African Cup of Nations? Or his selection was a part of the squad rotation as Arsenal play Bournemouth in a gap of two days? Either way helped and he was on top of his game. His long-range attempts don’t look quite convincing but he kept the midfield safe.
Xhaka (8/10) – He has become an important part of the team. Against teams like West Bromwich, Crystal Palace and others, where Arsenal will have to attack incessantly to break the opponent’s defence, he is hugely instrumental.
Lucas Perez (7.5/10) – He definitely needs more game time to sharpen his edge. Made some really brilliant runs into the box, which almost brought a goal. With FA Cup coming up, we could see more of him.
Iwobi (8.5/10) – Ozil’s illness meant Iwobi got yet another chance in the number 10 role. And he was outstanding yet again. His prowess from the centre has been found in patches in the League Cup, but with players like Sanchez and Perez flanking him, he was deadly at times. Bagging a goal was the icing on the cake.
Sanchez (9/10) – A tireless engine for the team, Sanchez’s stamina is unparalleled. The Chilean looked dangerous right till the last minute of the game. He was understandably frustrated for not getting a goal. It was his chip into the box that led to the mesmerising first goal.
Giroud (9.5/10) – A stunning goal to open the match, and it could be safely said to pretty much seal the game. Giroud looked dangerous in the midfield as he dropped down to win the ball quite often and it was one of his interventions that started the build-up.
