GRANIT XHAKA repaid Mikel Arteta’s faith with a stunning free-kick past Chelsea on Sunday.
The Arsenal manager reintroduced Xhaka to his line-up for the London derby after a ban for a petulant red card against Burnley.
With the Gunners already 1-0 up after Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty, the Swiss midfielder had the chance to cap a stunning first-half for his side.
Standing over a free-kick some 25 yards out, he whipped it past Edouard Mendy to double Arsenal’s lead.
Xhaka held a single finger in the air for a muted celebration, while being mobbed by overjoyed team-mates.
With his first goal in over 11 months, the 28-year-old’s strike marked the Gunners’ remarkable Boxing Day resurrection.
Not since November 1 had Arteta’s men even held the lead in a Premier League game.
And Xhaka’s three-match ban saw the team extend their domestic winless run to eight games.
Granit Xhaka bagged his first goal of the season with a pearl of a free-kickCredit: Reuters
The midfielder was mobbed by team-mates as he celebrated the strikeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But that all changed with a clinical performance at Emirates Stadium.
Lacazette’s penalty, from a Reece James foul on Kieran Tierney, and Xhaka’s free-kick made it 2-0 at the break.
Bukayo Saka then lobbed goalkeeper Mendy with a cross-cum-shot before Chelsea put together an attempt at a comeback.
Tammy Abraham netted what proved only to be a consolation when Jorginho had his stoppage-time penalty saved by Bernd Leno.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
