Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken about the new role that Granit Xhaka has adopted in recent weeks.
The Swiss international, who joined the club for a reported £34million back in 2016, was typically utilised alongside Thomas Partey in the double pivot of a 4-2-3-1 system but Arteta has switched to a 4-3-3 over the last few matches, with Partey at the base whilst Xhaka has been deployed further forward, in a no.8 role.
The tactical tweaks have obviously worked as the Gunners have recorded wins in each of their last four Premier League outings, helping them climb up to fourth in the table, an impressive feat considering they have played three less matches than fifth-placed Manchester United.
Now, Arteta has spoken about the 29-year-old's new role in the team, claiming that it has made his side less predictable ahead of Sunday's match against Leicester City.
When asked about Xhaka’s new role on Friday, the Spaniard said: "Sometimes you have to take players out of their comfort zone and open a different door to explore how the team will react to it and what the opposition will do when you do certain things.
"Then it’s more unpredictable because if not, it’s pretty easy to prepare the same thing against the same opposition."
The north Londoners defeated the Foxes 2-0 at the King Power Stadium earlier this season and they will be hoping for a similar result at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.
Arteta added: "The only matter for me is how we train tomorrow and how we play on Sunday (against Leicester).
"The rest, this is football and its so unpredictable: nobody knows what can happen.
"Our only focus is on performing and winning matches."
