Theo Walcott praised Laurent Koscielny after he scored the only goal in our 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday.

The forward hailed Kos’ ability to perform and ‘lift his head’ in big games.

“He joked that he only scores against Newcastle, but he does produce massive goals at massive moments,” Theo said.

“There was a sense that he just lifted his game in the last 30 minutes. I could tell how hard he was working and how much he wanted the team to win. The fact that he goes forward on every corner shows how much of a massive threat he is.”

Theo is completely right and he’s not the only one to notice the Frenchman’s presence in crucial matches. For two seasons in a row, Kos scored the winning goal to ensure we finished in the top four, firstly against West Brom and then, coincidentally, Newcastle, and on Saturday, he ensured we not only stayed top of the league but built up a two-point lead over Leicester (!).

To have a world class defender who also performs in must-win matches is a huge asset. It also shows what a professional he is and how much he gives for Arsenal. The man is already an Arsenal hero and the fact that he sits quietly at the back the majority of the time doesn’t make him any less important to the team.