Arsenal news: Sokratis pleased with early development of Luiz centre-back partnership

Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos believes his time playing with Mats Hummels will help him form a strong defensive partnership with new signing David Luiz.

The Gunners brought in the Brazilian on transfer deadline day and Sokratis is hoping he can be a key player for the north London club.

Can Arsenal find the right backline? Five things to know…

• Arsenal were known for their brilliant defenders during the early Arsene Wenger era
• However, the Gunners have struggled to replace the Kolo Toure-Sol Campbell partnership that helped Arsenal remain unbeaten in 2003/04
• The north London club conceded 51 goals last season, at least 10 more than each of the sides to finish above them.
• As such, they signed David Luiz from Chelsea on deadline day this summer.
• Sokratis is hoping he can now form a strong defensive partnership with the Brazilian

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Arsenal know they need to improve defensively this campaign if they are to break back into the top-four.

Unai Emery’s side conceded 51 goals during the 2018/19 season, more than eight other Premier League teams.

Over the summer the Gunners wanted to sign a new defender to help them bolster the backline, and as such, brought in David Luiz from Chelsea on deadline day for £8m.

Luiz made his debut in the 2-1 win against Burnley at the weekend and impressed his teammates with his strong defensive showing despite being breached.

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Sokratis is now hoping that he will form an excellent partnership with the 32-year-old and thinks his time playing with Hummels at former club Borussia Dortmund will help along the way.

“When I was in Dortmund I played with [Mats] Hummels, who has the same style as David,” he said.

“It was also a very good partnership and it is very good [now with Luiz]. It was his first game, it is important that we won and we can go from here.”

The Gunners face a difficult couple of games as they take on Liverpool at Anfield this weekend before clashing with Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby the following week.