Sunderland host West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Black Cats signed the Swiss midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in a high-profile move last month, with his arrival set to cost Regis Le Bris’ men around £17.3 million in total. Saturday’s clash will represent Xhaka’s competitive debut in red and white, but the 32-year-old has already impressed during his pre-season preparations on Wearside, and the club confirmed on Thursday that the plan is for him to wear the captain’s armband this term.
What did West Ham boss Graham Potter say about Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka?
And looking ahead to this weekend’s contest during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Potter suggested that Xhaka’s knowhow and quality could prove vital to Sunderland over the coming weeks and months.
The Hammers head coach said: “Well, he's a top player, that's for sure. Great experience, great quality, great leadership. So, I'm sure he's going to bring all his experiences, and they'll be mostly positive, all of his experiences to help Sunderland. We respect that, we understand that.
“For us, it's about what we can do and how we can play and we need to make sure that we match the intensity and the positivity of, I'm sure, that environment, which it will be up there. And we need to make sure that we're ready for that.”
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Potter was also asked whether he had any kind of familiarity with Saturday’s opponents based on the hit Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die. When quizzed on whether he had watched the show, he said: “I did a few years ago, yes, I did. It just goes to show - I think it was at a time when we went to Swansea [City] and I know first hand how difficult it is when a team is relegated from the Premier League.
“The challenges that clubs face, and if things don't go well and expectation and reality don't quite match, it can be tough. And that's the case for us all. It's really the biggest challenge, arguably, is that perspective and expectation versus reality. Obviously, it makes for great television, but it's not brilliant for them. But now, obviously, they're back in the Premier League and I'm sure they'll bring that excitement and that positivity to the game.”
Addressing the atmosphere he expects his side to walk into at the Stadium of Light, he added: “It's been a positive pre-season for us. As much as you can talk about positive pre-seasons, you can't beat the first day, the first game. We're super excited. Great game for us. I'm sure it's going to be a fantastic atmosphere. Big test, but we're ready and we're looking forward to it.”
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