'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal legend Tony Adams has heaped praise on Granit Xhaka following his long-range goal against Manchester United on Saturday (23 April). Adams wholeheartedly lauded the Swiss international’s left-footed strike, but admitted that Eddie Nketiah was blocking David de Gea’s view.
Top-four contenders Arsenal welcomed Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium last weekend. The Gunners found themselves 2-0 up by the 32nd minute, but Cristiano Ronaldo pulled one back before half-time to make the game interesting.
The Red Devils dominated proceedings at the start of the second half and should have restored parity just before the hour mark from the penalty spot. Unfortunately for the traveling supporters, Bruno Fernandes fluffed his lines and ended up hitting the post.
Thirteen minutes after Fernandes’ penalty miss, Xhaka dispatched a 30-yard piledriver to restore Arsenal’s two-goal cushion, sealing a memorable 3-1 win for the hosts.
Adams was left impressed by the 29-year-old’s long-range goal, claiming that Xhaka has a “great left foot". Speaking to Premier League Productions (via HITC), the former Arsenal captain said:
“He has good a good left foot, like mine (laughs). But what a strike that is. He has a great left foot and he loves a shot, Granit.”
Despite praising the strike, Adams was quick to admit that Nketiah was in De Gea’s eye-line when Xhaka went for goal. Admitting that the 22-year-old was in an offside position, the former defender continued:
“I don’t like that goal being disallowed because it’s such a great goal, but he (Nketiah) is offside. De Gea was trying to look around him, so that shows you how much is behind him and in the goalkeeper’s eye line.”
The north Londoners, who now sit in fourth spot after 33 matches, are next in action against West Ham United on Sunday, 1 May.
Granit Xhaka maintains his lucky streak at Arsenal
The scorcher against Manchester United was Xhaka’s first goal since the free-kick against Chelsea on matchday 15 of the 2020-21 Premier League season.
Following Saturday’s strike, the defensive midfielder now has 14 goals to his name for Arsenal, having represented the club in 245 games across competitions.
The Gunners have never lost a match in which the Swiss has scored, winning 12 times and drawing the remaining two.
Xhaka's most fruitful Premier League season for the Londoners came in 2018-19 when he scored four league goals.
