Midfielder Mohammed Elneny was instrumental in Arsenal’s first win at Old Trafford in 15 years, a solid 1 – 0 victory.
It’s about as unexpected as it gets for a player whose Gunners career appeared to be over.
When Mikel Arteta took over, he said that every player had a clean slate. He even brought Granit Xhaka back from the cold after his altercation with fans. However, nobody would have guessed that this edict could also apply to Mohammed Elneny.
Elneny was a forgotten man at the Emirates under Unai Emery, eventually going on loan to Besiktas.
He was so forgotten that nobody thought he and Arteta could be a good match for each other, even when the evidence was already there.
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When Mohammed Elneny joined Arsenal, he talked about his incredible engine in his very first interview. He explained how he grew up running non stop in the blistering heat and how this made him the hard working player he is today.
Arteta is a coach who values hard work or as he puts it, ‘suffering together’ in his team.Arsenal under the Spaniard play a physically intense style intended to control the opposition. Elneny’s legs, as well as his disciplined, safe style of play could prove invaluable.
Particularly alongside new signing Thomas Partey, who looks like he can anchor the midfield for the next few years. Elneny is an enabler. A hard worker who is always available for a pass and who rarely loses the ball. This alongside the physicality and driving play of Partey is a potentially mouthwatering combination.
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In a team that needs to move away from it’s over reliance on Granit Xhaka in midfield, Elneny could well impose himself on the team this season.
