Interview

‘I can go into battle with these team-mates’

Matteo Guendouzi has made a big impression in his first month at the club.

He’s been one of our standout players in pre-season, dictating the tempo of our play from midfield, and he’s shown his class off the pitch too.

Guendouzi is clearly popular among his new team-mates and no wonder - at half-time in Dublin the substitute made a point of walking onto the pitch to greet and encourage the players as they went off.

“The most important thing is for a team to stick together and to really operate as a unit,” Guendouzi told Arsenal.com.

“That’s not something that comes naturally to everyone. It’s about everyone having a common objective, that we all want to achieve together. For me that means giving my team-mates encouragement.

“That helps me get into the game and feel close to my team-mates. With them I know I can go into battle.”

Guendouzi may have a chance to do battle with Manchester City on Sunday - quite a Premier League baptism for a player who is still just 19. But he believes the atmosphere around this Arsenal squad can translate into positive results.

“I’m a cheerful person, and there’s a real ‘joie de vivre’ in the team – a great atmosphere,” he said. “It’s allowed me to really be myself with my team-mates, to have a laugh and make jokes.

“But you also need to remember when it’s time to be serious in training. I’ve been able to balance both sides in that respect and so far things have gone really well.”