Alan Shearer thinks Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta should be “raging” at midfielder Granit Xhaka for a needless challenge that got him sent off in the 5-0 defeat against Manchester City this weekend.
The Gunners were ripped to shreds by Pep Guardiola’s side, and things weren’t made any easier for them by being reduced to ten men for much of the game at the Etihad Stadium.
Shearer was thoroughly unimpressed with Xhaka’s antics, saying that the Switzerland international was simply sending the message that he didn’t fancy this game.
This is not the first time we’ve seen this from Xhaka, who has a history of poor decision-making at important moments, whether it’s rash challenges or costly individual errors that lead to goals for Arsenal’s opponents.
Shearer absolutely tore into Xhaka after the game, and many Arsenal fans will surely agree with the pundit’s take on the player, who has never really been Mr Popular at the Emirates Stadium.
“That’s 11 red cards in his career now. You just can’t excuse this. All he’s said to his teammates is ‘sorry lads, I don’t fancy this today’,” Shearer said on BBC Match of the Day, as quoted by the Metro.
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“Who he’s trying to impress I don’t know. You cannot tackle (like that). We all know the laws, you can’t go in like that. He’s putting his opponent in danger. He’s out of control. It’s the correct decision. It’s a red card.
“He’s said to his teammates ‘you’re on your own. Thanks very much, I don’t fancy it today’.
“He (Arteta) should be raging at that tackle. You’re up against it anyway. You cannot afford to do that type of thing.”