Santi Cazorla: This is what I think of my new Arsenal team-mate Shkodran Mustafi

SANTI CAZORLA believes Shkodran Mustafi has been a great addition to Arsenal’s defence this season.

German World Cup winner Mustafi moved to the Emirates from Valencia for £35million during the summer. 

The 24-year-old has since impressed alongside Laurent Koscielny in the heart of the Gunners defence. 

And Cazorla feels Mustafi has made Arsenal much more secure at the back.

"Mustafi has brought a lot to the team," Cazorla told IBTimes. 

“Even though he is still very young he already has big experience and has formed a good partnerships with Koscielny. 

“They already understand each other very well. 

“That solidness in defence gives the rest of the team an assurance to play with more freedom.”

Premier League: Leicester City, Arsenal play out dull draw; still without a win in new season

Leicester: Premier League champions Leicester City and last season's runners-up Arsenal remain without a win this season after a slow-burning 0-0 draw at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Beaten 2-1 at promoted Hull City last weekend, Leicester avoided the ignominy of becoming the first English champions to lose their first two games since Aston Villa in 1981.

But Claudio Ranieri's side were frustrated by two unsuccessful penalty shouts -- one in each half -- and also lost full debutant Nampalys Mendy to an apparent ankle injury.

Arsenal looked far more robust than the team beaten 4-3 by Liverpool a week ago and were able to welcome back Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud from their post-Euro 2016 breaks.

But with the season only two games old, both Arsene Wenger's men and Leicester are already five points off the pace set by Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Hull.

Ranieri had given starts to Demarai Gray and new signings Luis Hernandez and Ahmed Musa at Hull, but he reverted to last season's formula for the visit of Arsenal, three months on from his side's title coronation.

Robert Huth returned from suspension in place of Hernandez, along with Marc Albrighton and Shinji Okazaki, and Mendy stepped into the midfield hole created by N'Golo Kante's move to Chelsea.

With Arsenal dominating possession on a blustery East Midlands afternoon, it also allowed Leicester to adopt the counter-attacking formula that saw them storm the table in the first half of last season.

Arsenal were reduced to potshots, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in for the injured Alex Iwobi, curling wide and Santi Cazorla, who replaced the hamstrung Aaron Ramsey, shooting straight at Kasper Schmeichel.

The first moment of contention in the Arsenal box occurred late in the half, after Petr Cech had saved at the feet of Jamie Vardy.

Musa penalty appeal

Danny Drinkwater, following up, tumbled over Koscielny's outstretched leg, but referee Mark Clattenburg played on and despite the home fans' boos, television replays vindicated his call.

Leicester suffered a setback early in the second half when Mendy had to go off after seeming to injure his right ankle, with Andy King taking his place.

But the hosts began to show greater enterprise in attack, Riyad Mahrez drawing an untidy foul from Francis Coquelin and then whipping a shot narrowly over the bar from the free-kick that followed.

With the game becoming scrappy, Ranieri introduced Leonardo Ulloa to the mix and with 20 minutes to play Vardy spurned a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock.

Albrighton caught Granit Xhaka dawdling and sent the ball skidding into Vardy's path, but with Koscielny sliding in to close him down, the England man skewed his shot wide.

Wenger sent on Jack Wilshere, Ozil and Giroud from the bench and the visitors began to make inroads.

Theo Walcott threatened twice, forcing a save from Schmeichel and a fine, stretching block from Wes Morgan, while Alexis Sanchez teed up Ozil for an effort that drew Schmeichel racing from his line to block.

But Leicester saw a strong penalty appeal turned away late on when Hector Bellerin appeared to trip substitute Musa in a tangle of legs just inside the box, only for Clattenburg to shake his head once more.

There was time for one last scare in the Arsenal box as Mahrez left Koscielny on the deck before taking aim, but Cech parried to extend his side's unbeaten run against Leicester to 22 games.

Arsenal FC 2016-17 projected lineups

The English Premier League begins in a little over a month, and many ardent fans are counting down the days until the start. With teams splashing cash and star-studded managers imposing their presence in the league, fans eagerly await what the season has in store. Manchester United, Manchester City, and Chelsea headline the transfer rumor section of news outlets with their numerous summer acquisitions. But let’s look at a team with the infamous minimal or last-minute activity in the summer transfer window: Arsenal FC.  Let’s analyze several options of what their optimal starting lineup could look like during the course of the 2016-2017 season. 

A three-man midfield

Under manager Arsene Wenger, Arsenal usually employed a 4-2-3-1 formation, where the “2” were midfielders that served as protection for the defenders. At the beginning of last season, Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin occupied those positions. But with the outstanding performances of Aaron Ramsey for Wales in Euro 2016 and the purchase of the combative Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, Wenger must reassess the midfield.

A Cazorla-Xhaka-Ramsey midfield could reap the best results. Xhaka’s tough tackling and adept passing skills can liberate the attack-minded Aaron Ramsey and allow him to play a freelance role in the midfield, much like the one he played for Wales. Cazorla will serve as Arsenal’s metronome, dictating the pace of the team’s attack and exhibiting the wisdom to sit back and defend. 

Play with two strikers instead of one

Olivier Giroud has encountered an incessant amount of criticism for his inconsistent goal scoring for Arsenal over the course of a given season. It cannot, however, solely be blamed on his efforts but rather the formation, as Giroud often found himself on an island in the 4-2-3-1. With a second striker alongside him, particularly one who has been blessed with speed, the Frenchman can flourish. 

While playing for the France national team in Euro 2016, Giroud has exhibited a great striking partnership with the petit and fleet-footed Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid, as the duo has combined for nine goals.

A similar system can be utilized at Arsenal. 

Pair Giroud with Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott or Danny Welbeck, all players who have the speed to compliment the Frenchman’s physical prowess and aerial ability. It could potentially increase the Gunners goal output for next season. 

Arsenal has a tough season coming up as they battle with six serious English Premier League title contenders. But with the changes made to the squad formation and maximizing the potential of key players in the squad, Arsenal could lift the coveted trophy. 

The Premier League influence on Spain

Ever since Rafa Benitez took over as Liverpool manager in 2004 and brought the likes of Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia with him, there has been a steady stream of Spanish players plying their trade in the Premier League. Whilst Barcelona and Real Madrid caught most attention as Spain enjoyed their golden period that saw them win the 2008 and 2012 Euros, along with the 2010 World Cup, the Premier League also contributed towards those squads.

Whilst many of the established names amongst Spain’s glory period are still involved today – the likes of former Premier League stars Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina are no longer involved – the Premier League retains an influence in the Spanish international set up. For varying reasons there have been some notable exclusions from this squad. Santi Cazorla and Juan Mata were a part of the successful Spanish squads, but after a long term injury it is perhaps no surprise that Cazorla is not involved. Mata, on the other hand, is fit but has struggled to reproduce the form he showed in his first two seasons at Chelsea and for both players this probably signals the end of their international careers.  Diego Costa is another high profile name to miss out, uncertainties over his fitness levels have cost the Chelsea striker his chance this summer.

A few of Costa’s team-mates will be involved though. Defender Cesar Azpilicueta has had a season well below his normally high standards, but is still a key member of the squad and his ability to play either left-back or right-back makes him particularly valuable. Another Stamford Bridge player to have had a below par season is Cesc Fabregas. The enigmatic midfielder was massively influential in his first season at Chelsea, but has struggled to consistently reproduce that form. His talent is without question though and never has been throughout his career. It’s likely that he will be a substitute and be able to offer his quality and ability to change a game late on by opening a team up with his incisive passing. It’s a similar situation with Pedro, who has had a tough period of transition since coming to the Premier League. He is however, another player of unquestionable talent and certainly played his part in the all-conquering Barcelona side under Pep Guardiola. With his pace, technique, movement and composed finishing he gives Vincente Del Bosque another excellent option from the bench to change a game.

Staying in London, Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin has had a good season and although he still has some way to go, his pace and attacking threat will always make him an asset. His defending has also improved, but needs to improve further for International football. The injury to Carvajal has given Bellerin the chance to gain the experience of being part of an international squad at a major tournament and if Spain win both their opening games he may be involved in their final group match. It’s early days in his career and he should benefit from the experience.

David Silva’s season at Manchester City is another that has been hindered by injuries and he only showed his quality in flashes, but he remains a prominent component in the national team. His fitness issues will mean he’s unlikely to start their opening group game, but that exceptional technique, vision and awareness will surely be called upon.

The final Premier League member of Spain’s squad is Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, who has made incredible progress over the past 3 years to become arguably the best in the league and certainly amongst the world’s elite in his position. Incredibly though, Del Bosque is reportedly undecided about who will be Spain’s starting keeper for this tournament, with veteran Iker Casillas the other option. The once great Casillas is in the autumn of his career and sadly, as was seen at the 2014 World Cup, is not the player he once was. If De Gea does get the nod, he has shown Premier League fans just how influential he can be, pulling off a multitude of saves to keep a flailing Manchester United side competitive in recent seasons. With defenders as impulsive as Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique, Spain could well need a top class goalkeeper capable of pulling them out of the mire and De Gea certainly fits that bill.

So, although it may be more peripheral in this tournament, the Premier League influence on Spain at Euro 2016 could still be a vital one.

Arsenal: Who’s Right About Jamie Vardy; Paul Merson Or Ian Wright?

Paul Merson and Ian Wright have had their say on the ongoing debate among Arsenal circles: Does Jamie Vardy fit Arsene Wenger’s style of play? The two disagree, which leads me to the question: Which of the Arsenal legends is right about the Leicester forward?

It is an unusual situation to be in as an Arsenal fan. Being able to speculate about the possibility of a major signing joining the club, dream about how they may fit into the system, the successes and failures of a possible transfer.

This is what Arsenal fans, pundits and ex-players are all doing with the potential signing of Jamie Vardy, and there are some differing opinions on the Leicester City striker.

In particular, ex-Arsenal players Paul Merson and Ian Wright have both had their say on how Vardy will fit into Arsenal’s side, and their positions on the matter are polar opposite. Speaking to Sky Sports, Paul Merson criticized the potential move, stating that he didn’t see how Vardy’s game complimented the philosophy of Wenger:

“It doesn’t fit with me. Arsenal don’t get the ball forward quickly enough. I don’t get the transfer, I really don’t get it. No disrespect to Vardy but his strengths are getting the ball over the top. Teams come onto Leicester and they hit them on the counter. The vast majority of Vardy’s goals came from one-on-one with goalkeepers. Teams kick-off against Arsenal and immediately put 10 behind the ball and they’ve got to try and break them down.”

Merson certainly makes a valid point. Vardy plays to a very specific style, one that Arsenal do not employ. The counter attacking style that Leicester employed early in the season and saw Vardy flourish. However, as the year progressed, opposing teams began to sit deeper and Vardy’s goal scoring exploits did not match his form earlier in the year.

Ian Wright, on the other hand, is adamant that Vardy would succeed at the Emirates. While the aforementioned style clashes are cause for concern, Wright states:

“But if you’re a clever player – and Vardy is – then you have the ability to change your game. The idea you only have one way of playing is as insulting as it’s wrong. And so what if signing Vardy means teams suddenly start dropping deep to stop him getting in behind? If that happens, all it does is leave more space for the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and all those create sorts. I’m delighted to see Arsene going for an English striker who is a proven Premier League goalscorer. And, equally important, someone who is a winner.”

So, we here have two very differing opinions about whether Vardy fits into this Arsenal side. So who’s right?

Well, if you’ve followed any previous posts of mine, you will notice a trend; I am a huge fan of this signing. While there are valid concerns about a clash of styles, there is one thing that Vardy can do irrespective of how the team sets up, and that is score goals.

Vardy is a world class, proven Premier League goalscorer. He does not only possess great pace, is an excellent runner of the channels and a nuisance to any center half, but he is absolutely lethal in front of goal. Vardy can score a wide range of goals, he is an outstanding finisher, unlike current starting forward for Arsenal, Olivier Giroud.

This is why this would be such a good signing. Style concerns are fair, but they ultimately do not stack up to Vardy’s ability to ripple the net. He is the very best in the business, and he could well fire Arsenal to the Premier League title… if he joins.

Arsenal Transfer News: Prem club open to offers for star, Cazorla exit, £20m defender move

Arsenal have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Watford striker Odion Ighalo, according to reports. 

The 26-year-old has been attracting interest from the Gunners as they look to bolster their attacking ranks for next season, with West Ham and Manchester United also keen on the Nigerian. 

And The Sun claim Watford will now listen to offers from clubs for Ighalo. 

Watford sports consultant Nicola Salerno gave the green light on his potential departure when he said: "Everything will depend on what offers we get for Ighalo. He is an extraordinary player who could interest a lot of clubs.”

Meanwhile, Santi Cazorla could be set for the exit door at Arsenal, according to reports. 

The Spaniard has been one of the Gunners’ key players, but has endured an injury-hit season with a knee injury in November preventing him from playing since. 

And the Daily Star claim Villarreal are now monitoring the 31-year-old’s situation and could make a move for him in the summer - despite his injury woes. 

Cazorla spent three years at Villarreal earlier in his career and could be set for a return with his contract set to run out at the end of next season.

Finally, Arsenal are reportedly locked in a three-way battle to sign Bayern Munich Medhi Benatia. 

Benatia recently admitted he could leave Bayern, which has put the Gunners on alert. 

However, Italian website CalcioMercato claim Roma and Juventus are considering making bids for him in the summer after it emerged Benatia would be keen on a return to the Serie A. 

Benatia, who played for Udinese and Roma during a four-year stretch in Italy, is understood to command a fee of around £20million. 

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could move for Benatia as he looks to restructure his defence after another failed Premier League title bid. 

Arsene Wenger: Injury update on Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny and Santi Cazorla

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he will wait until the very last minute before taking a decision on whether to start with Laurent Koscielny against Watford.

The Gunners host Quique Sanchez Flores' side on Sunday at the Emirates with Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista both expected to be fit.

Midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla will only be back from injury next month.

"From the Hull game we lost [Aaron] Ramsey. Gabriel [Paulista] and [Per] Mertesacker came off injured but should be available," Wenger said.

"[Laurent] Koscielny is not far. Will I risk him or not? There is a little medical risk but I have not made a decision yet."
- Arsene Wenger"[Laurent] Koscielny is not far. Will I risk him or not? There is a little medical risk but I have not made a decision yet.

"[Francis] Coquelin is coming back from suspension and Bellerin was not in the squad. He is now available.

"[If they trained?] Gabriel no, Mertesacker yes. I don't think they have lost too much fitness. We will see. I will make a decision tomorrow. My gut feeling is that Gabriel will join in tomorrow and be available.

"I don't believe that [Aaron Ramsey will be out for the season]. At the moment his clinical signs are quite positive. I would say four weeks.

"He [Laurent Koscielny] has to join in normal training tomorrow and then it is for me to [decide whether] take a gamble on a guy that has had one training session with the group or not.

"They [Petr Cech, Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla] are all progressing nicely, but this week and next week they have no chance."

Who is El-Nenny and how would he suit the Gunners?

Recently, Swiss, English and Egyptian newspapers have flooded with reports that Arsenal have agreed a fee with FC Basel for Egyptian international Mohamed El-Nenny. With the prospect of another Egyptian making the trip from Switzerland to London, KingFut editor Michael Saad profiles the 23-year-old Egyptian midfielder’s career thus far and analyzes how he might fit in at Arsenal.

El-Nenny’s story is interesting as he was never really a star in Egypt. Like former FC Basel star and current AS Roma forward Mohamed Salah, El-Nenny started his professional career at Arab Contractors, a smaller club with a relatively successful local scouting network, after leaving Al Ahly’s youth team at the age of 16. After spending two years at Arab Contractors, he became a regular starter for his team in the 2010/2011 season. Unluckily for him during his second season as a regular starter, the tragic Port Said disaster occurred and the Egyptian Premier League stopped amidst an unsettling political situation. At that time, El-Nenny’s name was becoming much more familiar to Egyptian fans and he was linked with a move to Cairo giants Al Ahly and Zamalek. Swiss league club FC Basel scouts however were able to take advantage of the situation. With the local league halted and Egyptian footballers without regular competition, it was not that hard for FC Basel to convince the player to join the Swiss club. El-Nenny signed a loan deal alongside Mohamed Salah and the pair began a successful journey of development in Switzerland.

Since then, Mohamed Salah immediately filled the void left by Xherdan Shaqiri’s transfer to Bayern Munich and constantly dominated headlines for the Swiss club with his electric pace and a steady return of goals. His development has seen him transfer to Chelsea, loaned out to Fiorentina and now finally settled with Serie A contenders AS Roma.

In contrast, El-Nenny continues to make strides forward in Switzerland in a midfield position that certainly earns less praise than a forward’s but also in an area of the pitch where you cannot hide and can also be unforgiving. With that said, his continual improvement deserves similar mention.

Mohamed El-Nenny came to Switzerland as a rather raw talent but what continues to be his outstanding attribute is his stamina and energy. During his time with Sky Sports, Gary Neville did a segment on Monday Night Football questioning why Arsène Wenger strayed away from a recruitment policy in the mould of Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit and Gilberto Silva. Mohamed El-Nenny can’t claim to be a bulky, towering midfield pivot, but he possesses other physical qualities to compensate. Despite standing at a rather average height and build, the midfielder has never had a problem working in the engine room as he is able to cover a lot of ground and is constantly seen finishing a game stronger than others from the 75th to the 90th minute. In last season’s Champions League, he was one of only four players to cover over 80 km after 7 games. His injury record is also quite impressive which will come as a relief to Arsenal fans. He is a robust athlete who is constantly available for Basel which hopefully translates positively to England’s tough schedule.

Having started his career at a rather young age, the midfielder has also benefited from being a regular starter at FC Basel and has plenty of experience under his belt. El-Nenny is approaching 100 league appearances for the Swiss champions and 40 appearances for the Egypt national team. This know-how in addition to his ability to marshall the field without fading quickly has bridged his confidence to new levels recently and allows him the comfort to compete at a high level in recent seasons in the Champions League. The midfielder fared quite well against Liverpool and a star-studded Real Madrid last season when they were drawn in the same group. In fact, Basel were able to qualify to the Round of 16 in European competition at the expense of the Merseyside club, and the Egyptian anchored the midfield for all 6 matches.

Despite this, the Egyptian’s settling into the Gunners’ midfield will depend on two key areas.

El-Nenny is a reliable passer of the ball and boasts a passing percentage of 92.4% in the Europa League this season according to WhoScored. However it has to be said that there is room for improvement technically if he is to be compared midfielders like Santi Cazorla and Mesut Özil. Arsenal boasts one of the silkiest midfields in Europe and their world-class players possess the ability to both dribble and pass the ball out of immense pressure through intelligent movement and cohesion. Wenger often cites that transfer targets need to be of extraordinary quality in order to improve on his current squad, however the Frenchman is also known for spotting talent that can be polished and nurtured to reach new heights. Without a doubt, El-Nenny will have to find that extra gear in his touch, composure on the ball and distribution in order to impose himself in the starting line-up regularly, but he has the right environment and the perfect manager behind him to see him reach those goals. El-Nenny is a player that seems to be able to play up to the ability of those around him. He will improve quickly and benefit immensely from training regularly at London Colney.

Plainly put, the fact that El-Nenny has found himself amongst the goals this season, especially at club level, could be a problem for the Egyptian unless he understands his role quickly.

“I’ve noticed how important shooting is for midfield players, which made me give it more attention during training,” explained the 23-year-old to an Egyptian news outlet this year.

With Coquelin injured and no other player who quite fills his shoes, the position that Arsène Wenger needs filled most urgently is that of a defensive midfielder. Although I believe it unwise to focus too much on comparing players, it’s hard not to notice the similarity between Aaron Ramsey and the Egyptian. The Welshman’s goalscoring success in the 2013/2014 season clearly still plays on his mind and spurs him to use his great stamina to get forward and score goals. Similarly, El-Nenny’s recent success with long-distance shots and late-runs into the box will have to be managed and tailored to Wenger’s vision of his role. Just as Francis Coquelin had to completely simplify his game by excelling at interceptions, tackles and neat distribution in order to break into the Arsenal midfield, El-Nenny will have to recognize his strong attributes and showcase them in exceptional fashion to continue being a regular starter. He has already been asked to play this role under Héctor Cúper in the national team. With the Pharaohs almost always playing with two traditional number “9” strikers in a 4-4-2 formation, and wingers Kahraba and Omar Gaber given license to get forward and provide service from wide areas, Cúper often asks El-Nenny and a midfield partner to sit deep and compensate to the defensive balance of the team. This is El-Nenny’s opportunity to play this role at a higher standard in the English Premier League and the Champions League.

Arsène Wenger is known to be hesitant to do his transfer business early, especially in the January transfer window. However, following the painful week that saw established midfield pair of Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla sustain long-term knee injuries, as well as the continued absence of Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta’s inability to stay fit, Wenger may see qualities in El-Nenny that can fill the void in the heart of the Gunners’ midfield.

Watch English Premier League Boxing Day live: Southampton vs Arsenal live streaming and TV information

Arsenal will want to carry the momentum from the Manchester City victory and avenge the loss to Southampton last season when they travel to St. Mary's in a big English Premier League Boxing Day clash on Saturday.

Southampton were 2-0 winners over Arsenal in the same fixture last season, played on New Year's Day, but the scenario leading up to this game is a little different.

While the Saints were flying high this time last season, their campaign has not quite taken off in the same manner in 2015-16. Southampton are only 12^th in the points table at the moment, with six losses already suffered, and Arsenal will be confident of exacting a seventh defeat.

"To beat Arsenal it's more difficult this season than it was last year, because I think they play a little bit different," Southampton manager Ronald Koeman, whose side haven't won in six matches, told the club's official website.

"It looks like when they don't have the ball it's more a defensive way to play and of course one of the strengths of Arsenal is when they win the ball and the transition to attack is on a high tempo with very good movements and with very good players.

"But the goalkeeper makes a difference. [Petr] Cech is a big goalkeeper for Arsenal and I think that makes them defensively stronger than Arsenal was and also that they a little bit more drop back than they usually do.

"That makes the team a little bit more stronger defensive wise and in my opinion it's more difficult."

Arsenal were woeful in that match on New Year's Day, with Wojciech Szczesny seeing his career at the club go down the wayside after a poor performance and a smoke alarm. With Cech in goal, though, Arsenal, as Koeman said, do look a lot more secure, and Arsene Wenger's men have shown they are capable of getting the right results, even when they are without several key players.

The likes of Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Danny Welbeck are still on the treatment table, but Wenger and his team will be encouraged by the outstanding performance against Manchester City on Monday.

In that match, barring the last 10 minutes, Arsenal looked in control the moment they scored the first goal, and if they put in another all-round performance, with Mesut Ozil adding to his ridiculous collection of assists, another positive result should come their way.

"It was an important win for us but we already had a good confidence level," Wenger said of the 2-1 win over Manchester City. "To win these sorts of game you need to believe you can do it.

"Overall what came out of the game was a strong team attitude and strong team effort. Everybody put hard work into the game -- we got a positive result against a strong team who will fight for the championship, so it was an important night for us.

"I believe for us, the most important is to focus on ourselves. We have not to speculate too much on any weakness of Southampton. When you look at their team, they have the potential to be a very strong team. We have to convince ourselves that we again need another top-level performance."

Where to Watch Live

Get the match highlights HERE

Southampton vs Arsenal is set to begin at 7.45 pm GMT (1.15 am IST, 2.45 pm ET).

TV and live streaming schedule: India: TV: Star Sports 2 and Star Sports HD2. Live Streaming: Starsports.com and Hotstar.

UK: TV: BT Sport 1. Live Stream: Watch BT Sport and BT Sport App.

USA: TV: NBC and NBCSN. Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra.

Canada: TV: Sportsnet World. Live Stream: Sportsnet Online.

Australia: TV: Fox Sports 4. Live Streaming: Foxtel Play and Fox Sports EPL On Demand.

UAE: TV: Bein Sports Arabia 11. Live stream: Bein Sports Connect.

China and Hong Kong: TV: PPTV Sports and LeTV,

Singapore: TV: 104 mio.

Thailand: TV: CTH.

Indonesia: Orange TV and SCTV.

The Most Creative Player In The Premier League Is Bizarrely… A Spanish Defender

The always excellent Opta have just released some data detailing the most creative players in the Premier League this season.

One won’t be surprised to hear that the player in question comes from Arsenal with three Gunners listed in the top eight. However, the fact that the person occupying the top spot is a defender may certainly come as a surprise.

The specific data in question refers to which players have created the most ‘clear-cut’ chances so far this season. According to Opta, a clear cut opportunity is one in which a striker should ‘reasonably be expected score’.

Both Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil feature on the list with 5 and 4 clear-cut chances created respectively. However, the man who sits at the very top of the pile, is Spanish right-back Hector Bellerin.

The full list of clear-cut chances makers reads as follows:

Hector Bellerin (6)

Dimitro Payet, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil (5)

Jonjo Shelvey, Riyad Mahrez, Ross Barkley Saido Mane (4)

So, what does all of this mean? Does it mean anything at all?… Of course it does. The morale of the story is get the man into your fantasy team immediately.

English Premier League international break: How EPL stars fared during Euro Qualifiers and friendlies

THE international football is done and dusted for another month, with players returning to their clubs.

Some players will be buzzing after steering their side to qualification success or for their individual performances. But there will be some Premier League managers ruing the fact their players went away, with a slew of stars picking up injuries.

Here’s our look at how your EPL club’s key players fared over the international break …

ARSENAL

We wonder if Arsene Wenger had his fingers and toes crossed when news emerged of Alexis Sanchez being cursed by a Peruvian witch doctor. We kid you not, the Chile star was the target of darK arts ahead of his side’s World Cup qualifier on Wednesday morning.

But it didn’t really work, with Sanchez netting twice in the 4-3 win. That came off the back of his 90th goal against Brazil, helping his side to a 2-0 win.

Mesut Ozil played two full 90s for Germany in wins over Ireland and Georgia while there were plenty of goalscorers — Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud were all on the scoresheet.

ASTON VILLA

There was extra time heartbreak for Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The USA were up against Mexico in a CONCACAF Confederations Cup playoff but a 118th minute goal consigned them to a 3-2 loss.

BOURNEMOUTH

Goalkeeper Artur Boruc sat on the bench for both of Poland’s Euro qualifiers against Ireland and Scotland. That meant Scottish Bournemouth teammate Matt Richie instead scored past Lukasz Fabianski in the 2-2 draw. Adam Federici was between the sticks for Australia in their loss to Jordan.

CHELSEA

We’ll start with the bad on the Chelsea front — Nemanja Matic was sent off for an intentional elbow in Serbia’s loss to Portugal. Matic had earlier played 73 minutes against Albania, where fellow defender Branislav Ivanovic was hooked after the hour mark.

Things were mixed for Cesc Fabregas, who got an assist against Luxembourg but missed a penalty v Ukraine, while Eden Hazard helped Belgium to the world number one ranking with two goals in games against Andorra and Israel.

Willian continued his fine form, scoring twice for Brazil against Venezuela.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Wayne Hennessey will be high on confidence. The Palace goalkeeper has started the last two EPL games and played his part in Wales qualifying for Euro 2016 — he got full games v Bosnia and Herzegovina and Andorra. Joe Ledley was also involved in the game against Andorra.

Yohan Cabaye was also in action, on target in France’s 4-0 win over Armenia.

EVERTON

Ross Barkley has transferred his impressive Premier League form onto the international stage, getting a goal and an assist in his two starts for England against Estonia and Lithuania.

John Stones was supposed to join him on England duty, but injury forced his withdrawal, but fellow defender Phil Jagielka got a full 90 minutes under his belt in the Lithuania win.

Also involved was Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy for Ireland, shocking Germany 1-0, while Romelu Lukaku started in Belgium’s win over Israel.

LEICESTER

Kasper Schmeichel was between the sticks for Denmark twice during the international break, while in form striker Jamie Vardy was rewarded with a full 90 minutes against Lithuania for England.

Japan’s Shinji Okazaki netted in a 3-0 win over Jordan, also coming off the bench against Iran on Wednesday.

LIVERPOOL

Four Liverpool player got minutes for England — with James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne, Danny Ings and Adam Lallana in action. But there was bad news for Joe Gomez, who picked up a season-ending injury playing for England Under 21s.

Simon Mignolet was between the sticks for Belgium in their wins over Israel and Andorra while Martin Skrtel helped Slovakia through Euro qualifications with a 4-2 win over Luxembourg. Mamadou Sakho played in France’s friendly win over Armenia.

MANCHESTER CITY

Aleksandar Kolorov lost the plot in Serbia’s loss to Portugal. Having earlier provided and assist for their first goal, the left back was then sent off for two yellow cards … BOTH coming within a minute of his substitution. Kolorov had scored a 91st minute against Albania in the previous game.

But that wasn’t the worst of things on the City front, with Sergio Aguero and David Silvapicking up injuries.

On the positive side, there were goals for Raheem Sterling (v Estonia) and Kevin De Bruyne(v Andorra and Israel), while Vincent Kompany got 60 minutes under his belt for Belgium.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Juan Mata might be in fine form for Manchester United but it wasn’t enough for him to break into the Spain starting XI, the playmaker twice coming off the bench against Ukraine and Luxembourg. In the game against Ukraine, goalkeeper David De Gea was in fine form, keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 win.

New star Anthony Martial played 88 minutes for France in the friendly win over Denmark while Daley Blind and Memphis Depay could do nothing during the Netherlands’ 3-2 loss to the Czech Republic as they crashed out of Euro qualifying.

The best of the bunch was Matteo Darmianwho scored his first ever goal for Italy in a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan before starting the next game against Norway.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Rock bottom and now without their goalkeeper, Newcastle have been dealt a blow with the season-ending injury to Tim Krul. He was in action for the Netherlands against Kazakhstan, a game where teammate Georginio Wijnaldum found the back of the net. Wijnaldum also played the full game against the Czech Republic, which the Dutch lost 3-2.

NORWICH CITY

Robbie Brady and Wes Hoolahan played a part in Ireland’s shock win over Germany in Euro qualifying. The duo both played the full game there, while Brady also played the full game against Poland. Also in action, Alexander Tettey scored two goals in two games for Norway v Italy and Malta.

SOUTHAMPTON

Graziano Pelle netted a late winner for Italy against Norway on Wednesday, seeing out the full 90 minutes. Also getting a full game under his belt was England’s Ryan Bertrand, continuing his return from injury against Estonia.

Shane Long scored the winner for Ireland v Germany after coming off the bench in the final half hour. He was then rewarded with a start in the following game against Poland, only to be stretchered off with an injury.

STOKE

Stoke’s Irish contingent got plenty of action over the international break, with Glen Whelan,Jon Walters (scored v Poland) and Shay Given (started and injured v Germany) involved.

Their best player so far, Jack Butland, was reward for his fine form with a second England cap and a clean sheet against Lithuania. Also, winger Marko Arnautovic scored in both of Austria’s games against Montenegro and Liechtenstein.

SUNDERLAND

John O’Shea just about got two full games under his belt. Marshalling the Ireland defence in their 1-0 win over Germany, the defender got sent off for a second yellow in the 92nd minute of the 2-1 loss to Poland.

Steven Fletcher notched up four goals, including a hat-trick against European minnows Gibraltar, while Swedish duoSebastian Larsson and Ola Toivonen saw minutes against Moldova and Liechtenstein.

SWANSEA

Ashley Williams was in the heart of defence for Wales against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Andorra as they celebrated breaking their international hoodoo by qualifying for Euro 2016. Also making it through to the end of season tournament was Gylfi Sigurdsson’sIceland — the midfielder scored against Latvia in the 2-2 draw.

Also on target was Ki Sung-yueng in a friendly against Jamaica while Jonjo Shelvey started in England’s win over Lithuania.

TOTTENHAM

Belgium trio Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Nacer Chadli were part of their nation’s success in reaching world number one but their feats were outdone by Dele Alli, who made his England debut over the international break.

The 19-year-old came off the bench for the final two minutes of England’s win over Estonia and later saw 25 minutes off the bench against Lithuania, a game where Kyle Walker got an assist. Harry Kane also netted a goal and an assist against Lithuania.

England's Harry Kane celebrates with Ross Barkley after scoring v Lithuania.Source: AFP

WATFORD

Reserve goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis saw three goals fly past him and into Lithuania’s goal in the loss to England, Jose Holebas played a full game for Greece against Northern Ireland and Odion Ighalo scored off the bench for Nigeria in their friendly win against Cameroon.

WEST BROM

Salomon Rondon’s Venezuela lost to both Paraguay and Brazil, with the striker playing two full games, Darren Fletcher played 74 minutes for Scotland against Poland and Chris Bruntwas part of Northern Ireland’s historic qualification for Euro 2016 — he played 180 minutes against Greece and Finland.

WEST HAM

Darren Randolph had an eventful game for Ireland against Germany, coming off the bench for injured goalkeeper Shay Given before setting up the assist for Shane Long’s shock winner. He then backed up with a full game against Poland but couldn’t stop Robert Lewandowski from scoring … again!