Granit Xhaka using Arsenal's Premier League title collapse as inspiration for Bayer Leverkusen
- Arsenal set Premier League record for most time top of the table without winning title last season
- Xhaka's Leverkusen now ten points clear of Bayern Munich
- Veteran midfielder using experience to keep his new teammates grounded
By Tom Gott
Granit Xhaka has admitted to using Arsenal's Premier League title collapse last season as a warning for his high-flying Bayer Leverkusen teammates.
Xhaka was part of an Arsenal side that spent a whopping 248 days at the top of last year's Premier League table and boasted an eight-point lead over Manchester City at one point, only to fall at the final hurdle.
The Swiss midfielder left for Leverkusen last summer and now finds himself in a title fight once again. Xabi Alonso's side sit ten points clear of Bayern Munich and have still not lost a match all season, with many backing Leverkusen to go on and secure the Bundesliga title.
Xhaka, however, is refusing to get ahead of himself, having seen just how wrong things can go last season.
"It's good and we can be proud of it, but nothing is won yet," he said after his side's 2-0 win over Koln. "I'm speaking about my own experience of what happened last season.
"I think it was similar points over second and we didn't win the league so I know the experience and this is what I share with the dressing room as well. Of course ten points is a lot in football when you have ten games left but ten points when there's another 30 points you can take, it's not over."
Xhaka confessed that his Leverkusen teammates have even turned to him for advice on how to handle a title race.
"For sure and they know, they're asking me day by day, 'You've been in this situation as well, how was it? What happened?'," he added.
“I tried to explain it but you can’t explain with words, you have to feel it, that’s why you have to stay humble you have to take it day by day and let’s see where we are after 34 games.”
"I tried to explain it but you can't explain with words, you have to feel it, that's why you have to stay humble. You have to take it day by day and let's see where we are after 34 games."
Arsenal remain well in the fight for their own title glory this season as well. Mikel Arteta's side head into Monday's clash with Sheffield United looking to close the gap to leaders Liverpool to just two points.
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