Martin Keown reveals what Arsenal have said about Jack Wilshere ‘behind the scenes’
It looks like the rejuvenated but injury-prone Gunners' midfielder is playing better than ever
JACK WILSHERE is 'playing better than ever in training', reveals former Arsenal ace Martin Keown.
Injury-prone Wilshere, yet to appear in the Premier League this season, was a star turn in the Gunners' 1-0 Europa League win at Red Star Belgrade.
He played a big hand in Olivier Giroud's winner and impressed throughout the game.
And Keown told BT Sport: "They’re saying behind the scenes Jack is now playing better than ever before in training."
Wilshere, 25, must use Europe's lesser competition to force his way back into regular first-team reckoning.
"This is a platform for him to prove first of all his fitness, then his ability and then he’s got to then get into the A team to play in the Premier League," said Keown.
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"He’s got to announce his career is back open again.
"We know the talent’s been there for years, he’s now just got to do it.
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"This is a big enough platform to prove he can get into this first team.
"He doesn’t need to go on loan. Arsenal can meet his expectations but he needs to stay fit and well."
Successive England managers have long admired Wilshere's craft and guile, and there is no doubting what he can contribute at club level, either.
But so many injuries have meant it's been a long haul and last season he was loaned out to Bournemouth.
All the same, Keown believes Wilshere can bring something to the Arsenal side that no other player can. He added: "He has an element of creativity that Arsene Wenger absolutely loves.
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"He can light up a game, he springs from midfield and no-one else can do that quite like that in an Arsenal shirt."
Arsenal are at Everton on Sunday.
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