Having been thrust into our starting line-up ahead of the most important period of the campaign, Jakub Kiwior feels his strong relationship with our fellow defenders has been a key reason for his assured performances in our backline.
The Polish defender stepped up to fill the void left by Gabriel after the Brazilian was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, and including his early introduction against Fulham he has steered us to six games unbeaten alongside William Saliba, including home and away triumphs against Real Madrid.
The pair haven't lost any of the 11 games they've started at the heart of our defence, and Jakub feels that us because of his friendship with William and the rest of our defenders. However, he also puts his seamless transition down to the work he’s put in with Mikel Arteta to have him ready for any challenge, something particularly vital over the coming weeks.
“I feel very good on the pitch with everyone because we have a great relationship and we talk a lot with each other,” Jakub said. “We're prepared no matter who the opponent is. We live very well on and off the pitch, so I feel I have a good connection with anyone on the pitch, it doesn't matter who I'm playing with.
“The coach tries to talk to the players not only about the things on the pitch, but also about different things in life, so we have this good relationship because he cares about us.
“He helps me very well because I'm always prepared. Even when I was sitting on the bench, I could feel the help from the coach that he was always prepared for me. Especially now, when he needs me, I'm always 100% ready to help the team.”
Should the 25-year-old feature against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, it will be his 62nd appearance for the club since he arrived in January 2023, more than he has appeared for any of his previous sides.
He has featured all across our backline in that time, and he is delighted that his versatility has proved beneficial for Mikel when he’s needed it as he continued to learn and grow in red and white.
“It's definitely a big strength for me that I can play in different positions,” he added. “I’ve played a few games in the left-back position or the right-back position, but I feel good on the pitch no matter what position I'm in. I try to go out there and show my best.
“I played a few games as a left-back then I was playing more in the centre, but actually closer to the right-hand side. I feel I'm able to give myself 100% in all those positions, and it's good that way for me.
We entertain the Eagles at Emirates Stadium aiming to keep winning league matches, despite the fact the trophy is almost certainly heading to Liverpool in the coming days. However, Jakub is determined that we finish the domestic campaign strongly to secure a third-straight second-place finish.
He believes that is evidence we’re doing many of the right things to become champions for the first time since 2004 next season, but the chance to make history sits in front of us right now thanks to our European exploits, which he feels is fuelling the squad with positivity right now.
“We feel very good because this is big history for us,” Jakub admitted. “After [the Real Madrid] game we feel very confident inside. I hope we can continue to play that way in the semi-finals of the Champions League. We always feel confident because it is a good feeling being where we are. I feel it inside the dressing room every time the players are confident and they know what they want to do on the pitch.
“We know that Liverpool just need one more win to win the league but we're looking at ourselves to finish the season in the league as high as possible, and also focus on the Champions League semi-final. Liverpool played really well the whole season, unfortunately we conceded a few times in the games we should have won and that's why Liverpool are closer to winning the championship.
“We know that the Premier League is one of the strongest leagues in the world and this level is definitely very high. If we fight for the third season to win the Premier League, it also means that we are at a very good level and that we are really close to winning this league. This is another good motivation to fight for victory in the next season.”
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