Granit Xhaka is gearing up to face his former club when Arsenal travel to Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday evening (5:30pm)
Ryan Taylor
16:00, 07 Nov 2025
Granit Xhaka
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Granit Xhaka says he won't celebrate if he nets against Arsenal
Granit Xhaka has explained why he will not celebrate if he scores against Arsenal on Saturday.
The Swiss international midfielder is preparing to face the Gunners for the first time since he left the north London club for Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023.
Xhaka was a key part of the rebuild overseen by Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium and there is clear respect between both parties ahead of this weekend's meeting at the Stadium of Light.
Speaking to Stan Sport, the 33-year-old was asked whether he would be tempted to celebrate if he scored, to which he replied: "I will not celebrate for sure not.
"Because I had seven years in this football club where I had great times. Out of respect for this football club, I will not celebrate.
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"It's normal you have a lot of emotions in the dressing room because to beat Arsenal is a big, big thing. Even more so, how they are at the moment.
"They are very, very strong, a very good team, let's see what happens. We are looking forward for this game and just going step by step, getting the things done what we need to improve and where we need to be very, very good."
Xhaka made 297 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 23 goals.
Granit Xhaka
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Granit Xhaka spent seven seasons at Arsenal(Image: IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)
The Black Cats start the weekend in fourth position in the Premier League and remarkably, victory over Arsenal would take them within just four points of the leaders.
Arteta has also been speaking about Xhaka ahead of the meeting and he said of his former skipper: "I loved every minute that we spent together.
"When he joined he was in a special moment in his life and his career. He made me a better coach, he helped us to develop as a football team and as a club and I will be eternally grateful."
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Arsenal are looking to become the first English side ever to win nine matches in a row in all competitions without conceding a goal.
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