Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has enjoyed his first six months in the Premier League.

At 6ft 6ins, Mertesacker is certainly a commanding presence at the heart of the Arsenal defence, and has now settled into the hustle and bustle of top-flight English football following an August deadline move from Werder Bremen.

The 27-year-old is enjoying the new challenge and said: "It is a little different between here and the Bundesliga but you get used to everything in the world and hopefully in the next month I will improve more and more.

"I am very happy to be here and to get this opportunity to build myself up."

Mertesacker added: ""It is more physical, maybe not as technical [as the Bundesliga], but the speed is much harder.

"This the best league in the world, therefore you have to improve your game, but the important thing is to show you can deal with it."