Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hailed the recent development of Fabio Vieira.
Fabio Vieira once again had a positive impact from the bench as Arsenal secured a 3-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta introduced Vieira from the bench at the Emirates Stadium whilst the Gunners were being held to a 1-1 by Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
The Portuguese attacker replaced Kai Havertz and helped Arsenal to secure a statement victory. The 23-year-old was even able to register an assist, as he played Gabriel Jesus through on goal with a perfectly weighted pass in the dying seconds of the match. The Brazilian striker showed great composure to finish the chance and send the Arsenal fans into raptures.
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This is the second Premier League match in a row in which Vieira has had a positive impact from the bench. Against Fulham, last time out, Vieira came on and won a penalty before setting up a goal for Eddie Nketiah with a precise low cross.
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Vieira coming good for Arsenal
Arteta is delighted to see the player beginning to prove his quality in north London. The Spanish coach spent £34 million to sign Vieira from Porto last summer. However, the attacking midfielder struggled to consistently impress in his first season at the club.
Last season, Vieira managed 22 appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal. However, he could only produce one goal and two assists. He also often looked too lightweight to compete.
So far this season, though, Vieira looks to be a player transformed. Arteta is certainly pleased with his progress.
Speaking after the win over the Red Devils, the manager said, “something has changed with Fabio, you notice with the crowd when he steps in he is different to how he was last year, he’s more mature, he’s more senior in the squad and his confidence in the squad is high,” as quoted by the official Arsenal website.
If Vieira can maintain his recent form and rate of improvement then he will quickly find himself in serious contention for a regular place in the Arsenal starting XI.