Football
UPDATED: Arsenal fans react as Granit Xhaka finally gets this only option, but …..
More so, the Switzerland FA has insisted that Granit Xhaka will remain as the national captain despite the incident
Xhaka whipped off his shirt before storming down the tunnel
Reacting to the incident, former England and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer believes there’s only one way back for Granit Xhaka – and that’s to issue a hasty apology to Arsenal supporters.
Shearer believes that Arsenal fans deserve a hasty and sincere apology from their captain
Unai Emery decided to replace Xhaka with Bukayo Saka in the 61st minute of Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace after Arsenal managed to throw away a two-goal lead.
Arsenal surrendered their two-goal lead to Crystal Palace
Reacting furiously to boos from fans for a lack of urgency in leaving the field, Xhaka tossed the captain’s armband towards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, cupped his ear at the crowd and told the Emirates faithful to ‘f*** off’ before storming straight down the tunnel.
Just nine minutes earlier, Jordan Ayew headed home an equaliser for Palace and it proved decisive as Roy Hodgson’s men held on to share the points with the Gunners.
Unai Emery hinted that Xhaka could lose the captaincy as a result of his behaviour and the Spaniard has an extremely tough decision to make ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool in midweek. In his column for The Sun, Shearer condemned Xhaka’s actions and urged the Swiss to say sorry before it’s too late.
‘I do not know how Granit Xhaka comes back from this,’ the ex-England striker said. ‘It will be toxic at Arsenal if Unai Emery picks him again and the player needs to come out and apologise sharpish to the fans.
‘No one expects Xhaka to be pleased when your own fans are cheering when you’re being substituted.
‘But, as captain, you just cannot react to your fans in the way he did. There is no way back for Xhaka unless he apologises.’
He added: ‘The longer he leaves it, the bigger a mistake the incident will turn out to be. ‘When supporters have a go at you like that, it is because they are not happy — but he is the team’s captain.
‘So you cannot react like that, telling the fans what to do in that language. ‘Whatever you think of the fans, they are the ones that pay their money.
‘They are the ones who buy season tickets and come and support you week in, week out. Like it or not, supporters are entitled to an opinion.’
Ian Wright agreed that Xhaka must apologise to Arsenal fans as he ‘owes them a lot more’ than to react as he did at the Emirates. ‘Players getting booed is not the best, but this is the captain,’ the former Arsenal forward said on Match of the Day.
‘They are frustrated that he hasn’t run off the pitch. I’ve seen him before bolt off when he’s substituted. He’s walked off and then he goads them.
Arsenal icon Ian Wright also believes that Arsenal fans deserve an apology from Xhaka
‘We’re talking about fans who have watched him play a handful of good games in three years. And he’s treating them like that. ‘He should apologise.
That’s the guy Arsenal have chosen as captain… that’s not captain behaviour. ‘Arsenal fans have been patient with him. He owes them a lot more than that.’
