‘Extraordinary’: BBC pundit stunned by 26-year-old Arsenal star’s ‘outstanding’ display at Villa Park

admin_403zj633February 19, 2023Last Updated: February 19, 2023

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Garth Crooks has told BBC Sport that Oleksandr Zinchenko is having an extraordinary season, as he lauded the Arsenal wide-man’s outstanding performance against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Gunners have returned to the top of the Premier League table after a brief departure. Mikel Arteta’s men appeared set to inflict more pain on their supporters after going behind twice against Villa.

However, Arsenal stepped up in the second-half with an amazing effort. They scored three times to turn the game on its head. And it was Zinchenko who sparked the comeback.

Crooks amazed by Zinchenko display in Arsenal win

The Ukrainian equalised with a superb drive from the edge of the penalty area around the hour mark. Remarkably, it was his first ever goal in the Premier League.

Zinchenko has been an inspired signing for the Gunners. Injuries have prevented him playing as much as he would have liked. But his influence on the team is clear to see.

And his latest display has prompted Crooks to include him in his team of the week.

“Zinchenko was involved in almost every Arsenal move that resulted in a chance – he was literally popping up everywhere. Arsenal are having an extraordinary season and so is the Ukrainian,” he told BBC Sport.

“Since he arrived at the Emirates his performances have been outstanding. Zinchenko had an opportunity to use his lethal left foot earlier in the game but, for some reason, chose not to. However, when he did let fly, the ball arrowed past Emiliano Martinez in the Villa goal and set up the Gunners for a famous victory. It was, without doubt, Arsenal’s best away performance this season.”

It is hard to argue with Crooks’ view that Arsenal produced one of their best displays this season. At 2-1 down, it appeared that the title challenge was slipping through their grasp.

They had failed to win any of their previous four games in all competitions. And that included the loss to Manchester City which saw them knocked off the summit.

However, Arsenal turned the game around. And it is surely not too dramatic to say that the result may have turned the campaign around. Certainly, it is not difficult to imagine Manchester City winning later in the day had Villa held on and secured the three points.