“He’s coming into his own" - Pundit heaps praises on Arsenal star for recent performances

Pundit Alan Smith has heaped praise on Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira following his recent run of form for the Gunners this season.

The Portuguese midfielder was one of the new faces brought in by Arsenal last summer. The Gunners paid a transfer fee in the region of €35 million to secure the services of Viera from Porto. However, he has struggled to secure regular minutes under Mikel Arteta this season.

The north London club already boast a strong midfield that comprises Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, and Granit Xhaka. The trio are currently ahead of Vieira in the pecking order, making it a bit difficult for the Portuguese to get regular minutes.

That notwithstanding, Vieira has given a good account of himself in games where he has been called upon to play.

Speaking about his performance, renowned pundit Smith revealed in a recent interview that the midfielder is gradually finding his feet at the Emirates. He said:

“He’s coming into his own, Vieira. He had a good game on Thursday in Europe."

The Portuguese midfielder registered an assist in Arsenal's Europa League 2-2 draw away against Sporting CP last week.

He also gave a good account of himself when he came on for Gabriel Martinelli in their 3-0 victory against Fulham on Sunday (March 12). Vieira replaced the Brazilian winger in the 77th minute.

Vieira has scored two goals while also registering a further six assists in 27 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners this season.

Paul Merson highlights possible Gabriel Jesus problem at Arsenal this season

Paul Merson has shared his thoughts on Mikel Arteta's team who have been in sublime form this season as they aim to clinch the 2022-23 league title.

Merson made his latest remarks for the Gunners in the wake of their emphatic 3-0 away win against Fulham over the weekend.

One of the points he made was on Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus, who he felt could pose an issue for Gunners head coach Arteta after returning from injury. He said:

"Gabriel Jesus coming back is a bit of a problem for Arsenal because the lad will want to play - he didn't sign to be a bit-part player like he was at Man City. It will cause problems in time but at the moment it's like another signing."

Jesus was a key signing for Arsenal ahead of the season. He was also among the Gunners' top-performing players prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup break, where he picked up an injury with Brazil.

He has registered five goals and seven assists in 21 games across competitions for the north London side.

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