Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 30-minute cameo not enough for debutant to drag sorry Arsenal from defeat at Swansea

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Arsenal’s teamsheet to Swansea was arguably there most hotly-anticipated of the season so far – perhaps with the exception of when Alexis Sanchez was omitted as his move to Manchester United neared its completion.

The remnants of that deal, the permanent reminder that it happened, was sat on the bench at the Liberty Stadium. Henrikh Mkhitaryan started life as Gunner as a substitute, next to a player who was ready to be called on for his last game for the club in Olivier Giroud, whose departure to Chelsea is the necessity in securing the signing of the Armenian’s former Borussia Dortmund teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Both Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang were at their best when playing together and Arsene Wenger will be desperately hoping that duo will bring the sort of success they had in the Bundesliga to north London.

Patience is needed before fans see that though, and patience was needed in south Wales prior to the 29-year-old’s introduction in the 60^th minute. Arsenal’s new No 7 replaced Mohamed Elneny and was charged with the task of dragging his new club into the ascendency with the score being 1-1 against the Premier League’s basement side.

Mkhitaryan had a forgettable 18 months at Manchester United and just 60 seconds into his debut, he found himself preparing for kick-off, 2-1 down against the Premier League’s basement side. Swansea were by far the better team and if Mkhitaryan thought his days of being an auxiliary defender under Jose Mourinho were now over, then he would have been bitterly mistaken.

Wearing Sanchez’s shirt number, Mkhitaryan also filled his position on the left-hand side of the pitch initially, but quickly found himself drifting inside, he and Mesut Ozil floating in and out of each other’s positions with neat understanding.

A neat turn to get away from a defender here, a quick interchange of passes there, but Mkhitaryan spent the majority of his 30-minute cameo practically filling in for the position vacated by the central defender he replaced.

As Nathan Dyer dragged his left-footed shot wide to spurn the golden chance to put Swansea 3-1 up, Mkhitaryan’s 30 minutes to make a difference had been cut to 20 minutes. Perhaps sensing this opportunity to adhere himself to his new fans slipping away Mkhitayran drifted beyond the Swansea back four to follow Ozil’s dinked through-ball. He terribly misjudged his header, but was given the reprieve of the assistant referee’s offside flag.

Ten minutes remaining for that all-so crucial positive start and he drags a left-footed shot across the face of goal before dropping deeper in an attempt to make something happen. Despite his best efforts, nothing does. Sanchez claimed two assists on his United debut after all, so he needs to do something.

Then there was five minutes remaining, and it is close to the perfect time for a debut goal. The goal came but it wasn’t Mkhitaryan’s… in fact, it wasn’t even Arsenal’s. Sam Clucas scored his second and the Armenian’s debut ended not at all as he had hoped, but perhaps exactly as he feared.

It’s early days, of course, but so far the only thing difference between Manchester United’s Mkhitaryan and Arsenal’s Mkhitaryan is the colour of kit he is playing in.