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Arsenal have extended their winning streak to three games since the Premier League resumed. The North London outfit hosted relegation candidates Norwich City at the Emirates and comfortably put aside Daniel Farke's men in what was a dominance performance.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang getting back on the scoresheet, Arsenal registered a thumping 4-0 win, with Granit Xhaka and Cedric Soares bagging a goal apiece as well.
The Premier League's top scorer this season and the fastest ever Arsenal player to reach 50 Premier League goals, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a field day as Norwich City gifted him two goals.
It was an overall impressive performance, especially defensively, by Arsenal. With the help of some defensive errors by Norwich City, Arsenal move up the table in an attempt to secure European football next season. So without further ado, let's talk about the best best players from the game.
Five best players in Arsenal's 4-0 win over Norwich City
#5 David Luiz
After an absolute horror show against Manchester City in the very first game of the Premier League's restart since the COVID-19 outbreak, David Luiz has made an impressive comeback. The red card against last season's champions sidelined the Brazilian for games against Brighton and Southampton, but David Luiz has now played back-to-back games since his suspension expired.
The 33-year-old had Oliver McBurnie quiet for the majority of the game at Bramall Lane when Arsenal travelled north to play Sheffield United. The Gunners looked very shaky after Luiz was substituted due to a muscle injury, but that was not the case against Norwich City.
The former Chelsea defender did what he is known for, completing 50 passes with a passing accuracy of 89%. His long pass to Kieran Tierney made the goal for Granit Xhaka, and this is the precise reason why Mikel Arteta prefers him over any other defender in the team.
Luiz's persona and experience in the team is valuable and is one of the reasons why he was offered a new deal in the first place.
#4 Kieran Tierney
Another day, and it was another solid performance from the Scottish international Kieran Tierney. Bought for a mere £ 23 million, Tierney will go on to become one of Arsenal's best buys of the decade if he continues to perform at this pace.
His defensive rigidness and his ability to cross the ball with accuracy is exactly what Arsenal missed in Sead Kolasinac.
The 23-year-old came up with yet another stellar performance against Norwich City, once again unlucky to find himself on the assists charts. What makes Tierney special is his simplicity on and off the pitch.
A player whose best quality is defending and is still Arsenal's best crosser of the ball, Tierney is the most complete player in the squad. He has fit into the left wing-back role like a glove.
His versatility to play as a left-back, centre-back or left wing-back would be key for Arsenal moving forward. Raul Sanhelli has definitely pulled off a bargain here by signing this gem of a player for half the price of Aaron Wan Bissaka.
#3 Granit Xhaka
A player who was set to leave the North London outfit in January, with suitors from the Bundesliga willing to pay the fee for him, Granit Xhaka has made an immense comeback into Mikel Arteta's plans. The player who had a severe row with the Arsenal fans not too long back has been given another chance in the team, and he has been nothing short of brilliant since then.
The Swiss international had a passing accuracy of 96% against Norwich City. The lack of effective pressing from Norwich's midfielders made the job relatively easier for Arsenal as they comfortably broke through the middle as well as through the wings.
The unavailability of Kieran Tierney, one of Mikel Arteta's most important players, forced Granit Xhaka to play as an auxiliary left-back as Bukayo Saka pushed forward. But now that Tierney is back in contention, Xhaka can play at his best and most suited position as a deep-lying playmaker.
There will certainly be more reinforcements in midfield for Arsenal in the summer transfer window, with Thomas Partey their priority signing. Granit Xhaka will have to end the season on a high note, and he definitely has Mikel Arteta's backing, by the look of things.
#2 Dani Ceballos
The Real Madrid loanee, Dani Ceballos, has been playing at a level where none of the fans can criticise him. His debut game vs Burnley at the Emirates provided similar vibes, and if not for the profligate finishing of Alexandre Lacazette, Dani Ceballos would have easily come away with at least two assists against Norwich City.
The 23-year-old ran the show against Norwich; he effected three dribbles, played two key passes and completed more accurate passes (92%) than any other player on the pitch.
Reports have emerged that Real Madrid and Arsenal are 'in talks' about Dani Ceballos' situation. As a Gooner myself, I would love to have Ceballos at Arsenal on loan for another season with an option to buy for around £ 20 million. With his contract ending in 2023, Ceballos' loan extension with Arsenal is very much likely.
What makes Dani Ceballos an exciting player is his quality on the ball and his ability to evade high-pressure situations with ease, while also having an eye for a pass at any given point. Still just 23, Ceballos has a bright future if he chooses the correct options going forward.
#1 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Words struggle to describe how immense Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been for Arsenal since stepping foot in North London. The Premier League Golden Boot winner in 2018/19 is on course to win it again this season as he leads the goal-scoring charts.
Mikel Arteta has openly showcased his admiration for Arsenal's top goal-scorer, as talks for a new contract have apparently commenced for the Gabonese international.
At the age of 31, Aubameyang's consistency in terms of goals as well as work rate is not appreciated enough. His endurance is an underrated aspect of his game, while he is easily one of the best goal-scorers in the Premier League, if not the best.
Against Norwich City, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the scoresheet for the first time since the Premier League resumed. True to his usual self, he pounced on the mistakes of Tim Krul and Tom Trybull. As calm as a cucumber, Aubameyang scored two goals and assisted one to comfortably take away the Man of the Match award for the second time this season.
With upcoming games against Wolves, Tottenham, Leicester City and Liverpool, Arsenal would want Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to be at his best form, scoring as many goals in limited chances. It is a tough run for Mikel Arteta and his men, which will eventually decide their fate for next season.
