Martin Keown had many different candidates to choose from for Arsenal’s player of the season (Picture: Getty)
Martin Keown has overlooked Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes to name a surprise choice as Arsenal’s player of the season so far.
The Gunners cemented their commanding position at the top of the Premier League on Saturday following a 3-0 home win over Sunderland.
With 13 games to go, Mikel Arteta’s side appear increasingly likely to end their 22-year wait to be crowned league champions having opened up a nine-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Arsenal’s campaign has been built on a formidable defence led by Gabriel whose prowess in both penalty boxes has proven decisive on many occasions.
Rice, meanwhile, has enjoyed arguably the best season of his career to date but Keown believes his midfield partner, Martin Zubimendi, has been even more influential.
Arteta’s influence proved pivotal in persuading his compatriot to join the north London club following his late decision to turn Liverpool down a year earlier.
Even the Arsenal manager, however, has been taken aback by the 27-year-old’s impact and it was the Spain international again who broke the game open yesterday with a sensational long-range strike.
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‘A lot of people are talking about Declan Rice, Granit Xhaka has been mentioned as well, but Zubimendi, understated, has been one of the very best players in the Premier League this season, right?’ Keown told talkSPORT.
‘He runs the Spanish national team, you know, that midfield, and he plays in central midfield for Arsenal.
‘So, if it’s going to be a flick of the coin between these two… when I look back to playing with Manny [Emmanuel] Petit and Patrick Vieira, I thought they were in a contest every week to be man of the match.
Martin Zubimendi scored the opening goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Sunderland (Picture: Getty)
‘That’s what you need to be champions, that engine room has to be top level, and it currently is right now.’
After Zubimendi fired the hosts ahead against the Black Cats, Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to score twice, taking his tally to four in as many matches.
Substitute Gabriel Martinelli raced clear of the Sunderland defence to lay on Gyokeres’ second, deep into stoppage-time.
And Arteta hailed his so-called finishers, with the Spaniard continuing to rotate his squad amid a hectic run of fixtures.
Viktor Gyokeres scored twice against Sunderland (Credits: REUTERS)
He added: ‘We had to take the game to a different level because the game started to get a bit more open and we brought the finishers on and they were incredible.
‘I saw their reaction immediately when I gave the line-up in the dressing room and I looked at Viktor and Gabi.
‘They know how important their role is when you come on and some days it’s going to be even more important than starting the game.
‘That’s a key message that we’ve been trying to pass to them. The good thing is that they’re experiencing that every single game, e
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