‘Phenomenal’: Mikel Arteta hails £50k-a-week Arsenal man, wowed him since day one in training

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has waxed lyrical about Mohamed Elneny’s performance as the Gunners got their 2020-21 Premier League campaign off to the perfect start.

The North Londoners kicked off proceedings this season with a trip to newly-promoted Fulham and got the job done in style with a resounding 3-0 victory.

Arsenal opened the scoring through Alexandre Lacazette after just eight minutes, the Frenchman netting from close range after Willian’s effort was saved.

Fulham managed to get to half time only one goal down but it didn’t take long for the Gunners to double their lead after the restart, Gabriel Magalhaes heading home on his debut.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then curled home his side’s third in the 57th minute, Willian grabbing two debut assists by picking out the Arsenal captain with a great through-ball.

It was a superb team display and Elneny, who made his Premier League start since May 2019, did his bit with a solid, hard-working and assured performance.

Speaking after the game, Arteta told BT Sport, as transcribed by Metro: “Mo Elneny I think was brilliant again today. All the boys they tried really hard. The ones that came on they have to push these guys again, and we’ll keep going.

“Mo has been excellent since day one in training. He’s a player that I know really well because we played together as well. I know what he can give us, and I know as well what he needs to do to improve. And I think today he was phenomenal.”

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Elneny’s future at the Emirates Stadium looked in serious doubt just a few weeks ago, given he was seldom utilised by both Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery, had spent the last season out on loan at Besiktas, and saw his shirt number taken by William Saliba.

However, Arteta has given the £50,000-a-week man a chance in pre-season and he has taken it wonderfully, playing the full 90 minutes in a Premier League game as Dani Ceballos took Granit Xhaka’s place late on.

It’s worth remembering that Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva told France Football in April he thought Elneny was the closest thing the Gunners currently have to him or Patrick Vieira, and it seems as though Arteta has taken heed of the Brazilian’s comments.