Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno after Man Utd win: ‘I have now fully adapted to English football’

Bernd Leno believes that he has now fully adapted to English football, with the Arsenal goalkeeper making a string of impressive saves to help his side earn three points against Manchester United on Sunday.

Only last month the 27-year-old admitted in an interview that he had struggled to adjust his game to the physicality of the Premier League, remarking that “football here is different to Germany”.

But since then the former Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper has enjoyed a rich vein of form, making a save of the season contender to deny Moussa Sissoko at Wembley in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham, before his man of the match display against United.

“I feel for a long time now that I have adapted to this team and to this club,” Leno commented after the win, which lifts Arsenal back into the top four, just a point behind north London rivals Spurs.

“I think it is normal when you come to another country to need some time, especially as a goalkeeper because it is a little bit different and you are not so protected like in Germany, for example, or the European Cups.

“The manager gave me the time and when I got the chance, I played good so he said you will stay in goal. I am pleased to play for Arsenal and I want to give the club and the team something back with my performances.

“I think I have had a good season. It is my first season and of course I need time to get a feeling and adapt to the league and my new team. Goalkeeper is a special position but now I think I am in a good moment, like the team, when you forget the Rennes game.

“I keep working like before for the last eight games to show my best performance, to help the team and I think [against United] I did the same like the weeks before.”

Sunday’s victory revitalises Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in the top four for the first time since 2015/16, with the Gunners enjoying the statistically easiest run-in of the sides still fighting it out to secure Champions League football next season.

“We are in the top four and the other teams now wait for our mistakes,” Leno added. “There are still eight games and we want to win every game but we have to focus on each on because the other teams will wait for small mistakes.

“We don’t play against the other top six teams so I think we can beat the others. The next game is against Newcastle at home and it is an opportunity to win and stay in the top four.”

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Even if Arsenal miss out on the top four they could still secure Champions League football for next season by winning the Europa League.

Arsenal currently trail Rennes 3-1 in their round of 16 tie and although Leno will drop out of the starting XI for Petr Cech in the return fixture on Thursday, he is confident that his team-mates will progress.

“We were looking at each other and knew it was not the performance we can show and also the mentality,” Leno replied when asked how Arsenal had processed last week’s disappointing loss in France.

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“It was not the best fight in Rennes and also the mentality was not the best. [Against United] we showed what performance we can show and we need the same on Thursday because Rennes is also a very good team. They have their qualities so we have to be careful.

“If we had lost to United, it would have been much more difficult because then they have four points than us and it would have been more difficult to go to the Champions League. But then we have another chance to go through the Europa League. It was very important not only for the Premier League but also for the game on Thursday to not have so much pressure for this match.”