Thomas Vermaelen says the English Premier League as "the strongest in the world" because of the competitive nature of every single fixture.
Newcastle United visit Emirates Stadium on Monday night, knowing they can finish no lower than 11th and no higher than eighth this season, but Vermaelen is expecting a fully-committed performance from Alan Pardew's men.
"You get to this time of year, some teams are safe, some can't get into Europe, but you know they will still be giving absolutely everything to beat you," the captain told the official matchday programme.
"When I played in the Dutch league for example, I can't say it was the same there. You would have some games where you were thinking 'this should be a nice comfortable Sunday afternoon!' In England that doesn't happen and as a competitor you prefer that.
"That's why the English Premier League is the strongest in the world, because the teams can all beat each other. Something happens every single weekend."
Read the captain's notes in the official matchday programme
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