Granit Xhaka already outperforms Newcastle United duo after latest Sunderland reveal
Granit Xhaka has not been a Sunderland player long, but he is already proving to be a class above.
Xhaka was a statement signing for Regis Le Bris after Kyril Louis-Dreyfus convinced him to move to Wearside.
Sunderland’s captain was instrumental against Brentford and has already shown he is value for money.
Now, it appears that the Black Cats already have the edge over arch rivals Newcastle United after a telling update.
Granit Xhaka outperforms Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali in key statistic
Xhaka has already spoken of his admiration for Sunderland despite only being at the Stadium of Light for a short time.
Switzerland’s captain was viewed as a key acquisition given his exploits for Bayer Leverkusen, and he is already demonstrating his world-class ability.
The 32-year-old was named as the North East club’s captain, taking over from Dan Neil, and has provided leadership and intelligence in the hub of Le Bris’ midfield.
While at Leverkusen, Xhaka produced some of the best attacking numbers in his career, and he is showing signs of replicating that in the North East.
- Xhaka has provided one assist for Sunderland
- He notched nine goal contributions in his final season for Leverkusen
- He bagged 14 goal contributions in his best Premier League campaign for Arsenal
Indeed, the central-midfielder ranks fourth in the Premier League for passes completed in the final third, according to Squawka.
The former Arsenal man has completed 51 passes in that area of the pitch and has only been bettered by Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibs-White, and Lucas Paqueta.
Crucially, Xhaka outperforms Newcastle’s Guimaraes (45) and Tonali (43), who make up the top 10.
Read more: Regis Le Bris shares clear Dan Neil plan as Granit Xhaka named Sunderland captain
Granit Xhaka can guide Sunderland to derby day victory
While the Tyne-Wear derby is not until December, supporters from the North East have every right to look forward to the fixture.
When the two sides last met, it was a non-event, and the overused phrase ‘men against boys’ could not have been truer.
However, the Black Cats have gone from boys to men since then and have a team capable of challenging their old rivals.
Xhaka will lead the Wearsiders out against the Magpies and will be the vital ingredient that can drive them towards victory.
Le Bris will set up Sunderland to play on the break, meaning the Switzerland international will be tasked with overturning possession.
Indeed, the meeting will call for mature heads, and the Black Cats captain has evolved from the hot head he once was in North London.
Although the game is some way away, Xhaka is bound to be relishing one of the fiercest rivalries in football.
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