Scholes claims forgotten Arsenal man is like ‘a new signing’ for Arteta

Mohamed Elneny TEAMtalk

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes claims that Mohamed Elneny is “like a new signing” for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Elneny played a starring role as the Gunners gained a rare win at Old Trafford on Sunday thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s penalty.

The Egypt international was preferred to Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos in the heart of midfield. He formed a dynamic partnership with new boy Thomas Partey.

Elneny spent last season on loan at Turkish side Besiktas and his future in north London looked in serious doubt.

But Arteta has put faith in the 29-year-old. Indeed, Sunday’s match was his fourth start out of seven Premier League games so far this season.

Elneny has never been a regular first-team starter since his £5milllion switch from Basel in January 2016.

But Scholes was seriously impressed with the player on Sunday, as well as Partey and defender Gabriel Magalhaes.


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“You think of Arsenal, last two or three years you’d say, they’ve been a little bit soft, a little bit disorganised,” Scholes told Premier League Productions, as cited in the Daily Express.

“I think [Arteta’s] toughened them up. They look organised today in every area of the pitch.

“The two midfield players were excellent, Partey and Elneny, he looks like a new signing really. He’s not been seen for a couple of years.

“But they were so organised, they were aggressive at times as well which you don’t usually associate with Arsenal, you don’t.

 

“Gabriel at the back, I thought he was excellent. The amount of times he stepped in and just took the ball off of Rashford and Greenwood.

“It’s something United badly missed.”

Partey also put in a strong performance for the Gunners in his first away start in the Premier League.

And former United skipper Roy Keane believes the 27-year-old can match the achievements of Gunners legend, and old rival, Patrick Vieira.

 

Elneny delighted with ‘special’ win

Mohamed Elneny was delighted to have helped Arsenal seal a “special” first league win at Manchester United since 2006 as the Gunners laid down a marker at Old Trafford.

Arsenal had failed to win any of their previous 13 leagues trips to Old Trafford, where victory ended a 29-game wait for a Premier League win at a fellow big-six rival that stretched back to January 2015.

“It feels really amazing, I feel really happy,” said Elneny, who shone in midfield alongside Partey.

“It is special to win against Manchester United here.

“We know it is a long time since we won here. We gave 100 per cent and everyone worked really hard for it.” Read more…