While Arsenal’s impressive dismantling of Bournemouth on Saturday may have seen any number of Gunners stars catching the eye, the 3-0 victory also signalled further confirmation of Granit Xhaka’s road to redemption.

The Gunners star has always had an uneasy relationship with Arsenal supporters, certainly since the lowpoint of October 2019, when he threw the captain’s armband to the ground after receiving jeers from the home crowd during a 2-2 draw in with Crystal Palace in a tempestuous London derby.

Yet, faced with fight or flight, the Gunners midfielder opted to stay at the club, earning plaudits for the quality of his performances since that dark day, as well as his strength of character. With such impressive displays this term, no wonder the Gunners are top of the Premier League. And with the odds falling all the time for North Londoners to finish in the top four, why not take a look at football odds comparison site Smartbets for more. Yet while no-one can be 100 per cent sure that Xhaka won’t add to his tally of rash bookings and sending’s off, not least when picking up ten yellows and two reds last term, the fact that Arsenal supporters sang his name during the weekend victory on the south coast spoke volumes.

With Arsenal top of the Premier League with three wins from three, Xhaka’s sterling performances have been under the spotlight, including his excellent display during the Gunners first home game of the season earlier this month.

After getting a goal and an assist during the 4-2 win against Leicester City, Xhaka has revealed he is enjoying playing in a more attacking role as part of Mikel Arteta's new-look side.

The Swiss midfielder impressed in an attacking display against the Foxes that saw him in a more advanced role at times – at witnessed by firing home Arsenal’s vital third goal from close range after Gabriel Jesus diverted the ball into his path.

“I’ve got more freedom to go up and down,” Xhaka said “I know I can do that. I have a lot of freedom from the coach, from my teammates. 

“At the moment I’m happy with how everything is going. Let’s continue to work like this and hopefully at the end of the season we can be more than happy.

“It’s always good when you score and it’s always good when you can help the team - not only me, but all the players did a great job today. I’m more than happy to help, of course.”

Xhaka also took time out to hail the club’s exciting new striker Gabriel Jesus, who has impressed since joining. 

“His performance [against Leicester] was unbelievable,” Xhaka said, adding: “Two goals and two assists - the work he does for the team is unbelievable. 

“We’re more than happy. He’s scoring now as well and he’s helping us day by day. I’m more than happy for him because I think it’s very important to score at home.”