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Jack Wilshere better than Granit Xhaka even if he can't get back to his peak, claims Arsenal great Charlie Nicholas

Back with a bang: Wilshere made an impressive first start of the season in the EFL Cup: Getty Images
Back with a bang: Wilshere made an impressive first start of the season in the EFL Cup: Getty Images

Jack Wilshere may never get back to his peak but he remains a better option for Arsenal than Granit Xhaka, according to Gunners great Charlie Nicholas.

Wilshere made his first start of the season in Arsenal’s 1-0 EFL Cup third round win over Doncaster on Wednesday and is set to get further opportunities in the coming week as the Gunners face three games in six days.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was eager to dampen expectations around Wilshere after he completed 90 minutes for the first time in nearly three years and the 25-year-old will need to prove himself against more prestigious opposition before he can hope of overhauling Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey in the Gunners’ engine room.

However Nicholas is convinced that Wilshere has superior technical ability to Xhaka, Arsenal’s £34million signing from Borussia Monchengladbach last summer.

“None of us, in all honesty, think he can get back to where he was four or five years ago because the injuries have been so severe, but if he can get close to that then he's still worth keeping,” Nicholas told Sky Sports.

“Is he a better footballer than Granit Xhaka? Yes. He's certainly better than Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin, and things are starting to fall in place for him where he's going to get opportunities.

“Put it this way, I'd much rather Wilshere was on the bench than Elneny or Coquelin.”

Wilshere has just nine months remaining on his contract at the Emirates, with no talks having yet taken place over an extension and Wenger insistent the one-time England international must prove his fitness.