Arteta hails ‘phenomenal’ Kiwior after stepping up in place of Gabriel | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lauded stand-in defender Jakub Kiwior’s impact on his Arsenal side following Gabriel’s season-ending injury.

Kiwior has started the last three Arsenal matches alongside William Saliba. Gabriel, usual first-choice partner for Saliba, has been ruled out for the rest of the season after needing surgery on his hamstring.

Kiwior has more than stepped up to the plate for the Gunners, winning the Man of the Match award in their last Premier League game, a hard-fought draw against Everton.

He also started in the 3-0 win over Real Madrid, helping to keep Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and their team-mates quiet.

And Arteta was full of admiration for the Polish international: “It’s difficult to do what he’s done. Really impressed with him. I don’t think the word is surprised because of the way he trains. The way he commits. The way he reacts to not playing. It’s phenomenal.”

Kiwior’s performances could not have come at a better time for Arsenal given their injury woes this campaign. Joining Gabriel on their injury list is Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori.

Luckily for the Gunners, Declan Rice and Buyako Saka will be fit to play against Brentford despite coming off with knocks during Arsenal’s 3-0 dismantling of Real Madrid midweek.

Kiwior’s rise comes at a time when Arsenal have needed contributions from their squad players. Declan Rice converted his first ever free-kick goal against Madrid, before following it up with a second. The tie, of which Arsenal were not favourites, was full of “magic moments” according to Arteta.

“Sometimes you have to do something that’s not in the books,” Arteta said.

“It’s like the energy we create in the stadium, that’s a magic moment, it’s like the crowd took the ball and put it in the net.”

Arteta also thinks their recent home form has been down to the Gunners fans: “We can all raise our level to set the standards of how the Emirates has to be looking every week, then we can raise the bar in special occasions to do something extraordinary. I think that has to be our aim, I think we have to have the best atmosphere in the world.”

With the visit of Brentford on Saturday, Arteta’s theory will be immediately put to the test. He feels certain that Arsenal are not caught up in the emotion of their win against Madrid: “When you’re winning it’s pretty easy. Your mood is good and you have a fantastic experience, so you look forward to the next one. It’s a huge advantage. I’m looking forward to the game tomorrow.”