Mikel Arteta has hailed Eberechi Eze's obsession in returning from injury ahead of schedule for Arsenal.
Eze was initially expected to miss up to six weeks with a calf injury that ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final before the international break.
However, Eze took part in first-team training on Thursday and is expected to be included in the squad against Bournemouth this weekend.
That is a major boost for Arsenal. Eze has a superb record in the final three months of the season and he scored four goals in his last seven appearances before the injury.
Arteta said during that run that he was starting to understand Eze better as a person and that has continued during his injury absence.
"I didn't know that he was so determined, so obsessed, and so willing to push his body," Arteta said.
"I didn't know that part of him, and it really surprised me in a really powerful way. How much he loves the game. When you take somebody's opportunity to play, you really see their reaction.
"His was, wow. How involved he was in and around the team, the energy that he brings every day in the building.
"And then we use that time as well, obviously, to identify areas where he can impact the game, get his opinion wide and open about what he sees himself, what he's more comfortable, what he sees about the team.
"And I think we used that time in a really good way."
Eze went three months without even having a shot on target in the Premier League between his two brilliant north London derby performances earlier this season.
He struggled for regular minutes and dropped out of the side after he was brought off at half-time in the defeat by Aston Villa in December.
That came after he failed to track a run from Matty Cash, an error that led to a goal, and Arteta hinted that defensive improvements have been key to trusting Eze more.
"There are other areas as well that obviously he didn't feel they were that important," Arteta said.
"Or things that we discussed that probably in other teams he hasn't discussed as that vital and important to change games or to win football matches. He recognises that and he's such an intelligent person and so easy to talk to him."
