Granit Xhaka: Arsenal set to provide counselling as Emery wants apology

The Gunners will play Liverpool in the Carabao league cup on Wednesday 30th October 2019.

Arsenal are set to provide counselling to Granit Xhaka after his angry reaction to the supporters in their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.

The Swiss midfielder has removed his Instagram profile picture wearing an Arsenal shirt and replacing it with one with his Switzerland national team jersey.

While being booed, Xhaka cupped his ears and threw the jersey angrily while going down the tunnel after being substituted by Bukayo Saka. Head coach Unai Emery believes that the 28-year-old should apologise to the fans and seek online counselling.

Emery said to BBC, “He is upset, devastated and very sad. It is not only yesterday and today. He is feeling the supporters don’t like him.”

However, the Spaniard gave nothing away on whether Xhaka will be stripped off captaincy or not.

“His behaviour was perfect in training [on Tuesday], with the group and with the club. He knows he was wrong. He feels it inside very deeply,” added Emery.

Emery was clear that Xhaka must apologise but also added, “I don’t need his apology. Because I know he is devastated, we can speak about all the situation but first, it’s him.”

“He is now very down and we need to support him.”

“My ideal future is to watch again Xhaka playing and every supporter supporting him. I don’t know if I can or will achieve it but this is my ideal.”

“Also for him, it’s the same but also I think we need now to be calm step by step so we can progress.”

Arsenal had the golden opportunity to grab all three points against Crystal Palace as the Gunners were twice ahead in the game. Even a late goal from Sokratis was controversially ruled out by VAR, as both, the club shared the spoils.

The Gunners had a thunderous start to the match with Sokratis striking first blood in the 7th minute followed by David Luiz who doubled the lead just after two minutes. A first-half Luka Milivojević penalty brought Eagles back in the game.

While Jordan Aywe’s 52nd-minute strike meant that Roy Hodgson’s men left the Emirates with a point. The fans were visibly agitated with the performance of certain players and vented out their anger mostly on Granit Xhaka while he got substituted. Whereas Xhaka also did not hold back and retaliated in a bad way. Now it remains to be seen whether he retains the armband and how fans react to him in future.

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