Mikel Arteta says Alexis Sanchez has made life easier for the Arsenal squad following a sparkling start to his Gunners career.
Alexis has scored seven goals in his first nine Premier League appearances, including two in the 3-0 win against Burnley on Saturday, since a 35 million-pound move from Barcelona in the summer.
And Arteta, speaking at a news conference ahead of Arsenal's Champions League game against Anderlecht on Tuesday, says he is impressed by the impact the Chile international has made at the club.
"I don't think we are surprised by his performances, but we are with how he's adapted to the Premier League," the Gunners captain said.
"As the boss said, he found it a bit hard in the first few weeks but now he's found the platform, the confidence and physically he is the level he needs to be at because his game is very demanding as well. The way he's contributing to the team and the spirit of the group as well is very good.
"It makes our job easier when you have a player in his form scoring goals for the team. It's very helpful, but as well, how he looks after the people around him and [the hard work] he does in every game is something we need to highlight. He gets more highlights with his goals, assists and his tricks, but his hard work and his ethics in every game is very important as well.
"South Americans in England normally find it a bit hard. When you're an attacking player and people are expecting a lot from you, sometimes it's even more difficult. He's a bull -- he goes again and again. That's the only secret with Alexis. He wants to get better and better. That's the way he is."
Arteta believes Arsenal are now finding their form after an indifferent start to the season.
And the midfielder says consistency will be the key to their hopes of success in the Premier League and Champions League this term.
"We are on a good run at the moment and we can only take it in a positive way and build from there because we know we have to be very consistent," he said. "We are keeping clean sheets at the moment which makes it much easier to win the games and hopefully we can continue doing that.
"We drew three games in a row at home, which put us in a difficult position. Also, we had that disappointing result against Borussia Dortmund [losing 2-0] in the Champions league where we didn't perform at all in my opinion.
"After that we have been more consistent, but we lacked and missed crucial points in some games and that is why we are a bit far from Chelsea [in the title race].
"Now we have found a balance and we need to remind people that we had a lot of people injured and it was hard to pick the first XI three weeks in a row. That makes it hard for the team. Hopefully we are getting players back now, everybody is more consistent and fit and we are starting to see the best out of the players individually and collectively."
Arteta also talked up the impact Theo Walcott could make following his return to action against Burnley after a knee ligament injury had kept him out since January.
"He is a unique player," he said. "He has been here a long time and he is a player who gives us something very, very different. Theo has been tremendous in the last few seasons so to get a player like him back after such long time can only be a positive for us."