Thomas Vermaelen has played down the goalscoring start to his Arsenal career.

The Belgian international defender was signed from Ajax in a £10million deal to help keep out goals, following Kolo Toure’s £14million move to Manchester City.

Vermaelen has made a great start to life in England and looks a top-class centre-half, but he is also useful at the other end where he has scored three goals in six games.

"It is not a secret, it is just being smart in the box really," he told ESPN.

"Think where the ball can be when somebody crosses. You just have to make good runs and sometimes the ball comes in there and you can score goals. It is the delivery as well.”

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