Granit Xhaka was full of pride wearing the captain's armband again for Arsenal's victory at Brentford on Sunday.
The 29-year-old had been entrusted with the captain's armband in the absence of injured skipper Martin Odegaard and led by example with a dominant display, setting the tone for a comfortable victory to send his side back to the summit of the league table.
"I never, ever was thinking this would happen," said Xhaka as he reflected on wearing the armband and hearing his name sung after the match.
"To be in front of them [the travelling fans] then was very emotional. Absolutely, after what happened three years ago? To be in front of this team means a lot to me."
Arsenal's latest triumph took their tally to six wins in seven league games, thrusting them into the title conversation at this early stage, leading the league as it heads into the international break.
"If I'm honest, we have to enjoy where we are but I'm not looking at the table," Xhaka said. "I think we always produce a good game against Tottenham. Always good, but it will be a different game because it's a derby. You can't compare the derby to a normal game."