Thomas Vermaelen has responded in a "remarkable way" to losing his first-team place, according to Arsene Wenger.
The Arsenal manager appointed Vermaelen as his new captain last summer following Robin van Persie's departure but he has been omitted from Wenger's last four starting line-ups.
Arsenal won each of those four games and Vermaelen played his part in last weekend's win at West Bromwich Albion, helping to keep the Baggies at bay after Per Mertesacker had been sent off.
Vermaelen is likely to replace the suspended German against Norwich City on Saturday and Wenger could not be happier with his captain's approach in recent weeks.
"He took it in a remarkable way [when he lost his place]," Wenger told Arsenal Player.
"He is a great man and I didn't make him captain by coincidence. I knew there is something mentally special there. He responds in positive situations and in less positive situations like when you don't play.
"They know there could be rotation with the three centre backs from the start of the season, depending on good and less good periods of any individual player. He [Vermaelen] took that remarkably well."
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