Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker insists Lukas Podolski will be better for his Premier League debut.

Podolski struggled to make an impact during the 0-0 draw with Sunderland.

"It was tough for him [on Saturday] because it was his first game up front," Mertesacker told Arsenal Player. "I think he will get used to the game, switch on quickly and score a lot for us.

"You have seen that he has a good technique and he is good in possession. We have the players who can pass him the ball. He is a good finisher too and we will see that in a couple of weeks.

"We saw a lot of misunderstandings [against Sunderland], especially in the first half. One guy maybe wanted the one-two, the other in behind. So we need a bit of time, especially with the new players. We had a few new players who were playing their first game over 90 minutes. But I think it is coming."