Per - My memories of Swansea debut

Per Mertesacker still has fond memories of his “overwhelming” Arsenal debut against Swansea City.

The central defender played his first game for the club in September 2011, completing the duration of a 1-0 victory at Emirates Stadium.

Mertesacker could make his 100th home appearance against the same opponents on Wednesday night - but he still thinks about his “memorable and special” debut.

“I was overwhelmed,” he told the matchday programme. “I’d only moved about a week before the game and everything was a bit overwhelming.

“You try to concentrate and grab all the new experiences and memories, but it’s hard. There were nerves but you try to hide those as much as you can.

“I tried to play with my calmness and be as comfortable as I could in every single moment.

“My first was against them, and maybe the 100th will be against them too. You always remember those games.

“Of course I have good memories of the goal against Tottenham too [in 2012]. That will always be with me and when you have bad moments, it’s nice to be able to have those memories.

“Every single game, especially at Emirates, is memorable and special. It keeps you going when you play in front of your fans. You know you must perform and give absolutely everything.”