Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has lavished praise on Ainsley Maitland-Niles following his display against Watford on Sunday afternoon.
The versatile Englishman was a surprise starter against the Hornets, with Thomas Partey ruled out on the day of the game due to a muscular injury.
Maitland-Niles produced an assured display in the middle of the park with six ground duels won, five tackles and an 85% pass accuracy, and Arteta was impressed by what he saw from the former wantaway midfielder.
Speaking to the press after the game, Arteta said: "I see a different player in terms of his urgency, his commitment. We made a decision that we wanted him to stay because he was going to be useful.
"He has a huge talent where he's versatile enough to adapt to almost any position on the pitch," football.london quotes Arteta as saying.
Maitland-Niles was widely expected to leave the club in the summer and made his frustrations clear on social media, with his existing deal due to expire in 2023. body check tags ::
