Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed Santi Cazorla's performance in their FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.
The Spaniard was outstanding on the day.
"He has become a master of central midfield," said Wenger. "Today again his performance was top.
"I didn't see that [defensive role] in him as much as a central player, but defensively he has improved a lot.
"You always have to be open-minded with players sometimes, he is 30 now, and it is a little bit more difficult on the flanks for him [but] showed he has other aspects of his game in the middle."
