Emery: Xhaka was out of line

London – Unai Emery refused to confirm if Granit Xhaka (above) will remain as Arsenal captain after admitting the Swiss star was wrong to become embroiled in an astonishing feud with the Gunners fans during Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.

Emery’s side blew a two-goal lead at the Emirates Stadium before Xhaka’s tantrum laid bare the simmering tensions at a club in danger of spiralling into crisis.

When Xhaka was replaced by Bukayo Saka in the second half, he trudged slowly to the touchline while petulantly gesticulating to the fans who had cheered his substitution and were angrily urging him to get off the pitch quicker.

Xhaka’s meltdown climaxed when he ripped off his shirt, appeared to shout f**k off at supporters and stormed past Emery and straight down the tunnel.

Having watched him behave in such a childish manner, Emery conceded Xhaka was out of line.

“He was wrong. I want to be calm but really, he was wrong in this action,” Emery said.

Xhaka, appointed captain in the summer, was already disliked by sections of the Arsenal fan base after his largely disappointing form since his 2016 move from Borussia Moenchengladbach.

The 27-year-old faced calls to be stripped of the captaincy from Arsenal fans on social media.

And Emery said he would speak to the player and the club before deciding whether Xhaka would retain the armband.

“I think now is the time to stay calm and speak to him.”

After failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, Emery is under pressure to secure a top four place this term, but there are signs the fans are turning against him.

Fifth-placed Arsenal were booed off at the end, while fans chanted Mesut Ozil’s name in a pointed reference to Emery’s refusal to pick the German star.

Emery’s frustration was clear after another difficult afternoon following hot on the heels of Arsenal’s shock loss at Sheffield United on Monday.

He was angry that VAR had denied Arsenal an 83rd- minute winner when Sokratis fired home, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on Luka Milivojevic.

VAR had also overturned referee Martin Atkinson’s decision to turn down Palace’s penalty appeal when Wilfried Zaha was booked for diving.

Milivojevic slotted in the penalty and Jordan Ayew bagged the equaliser as Palace recovered from early goals by Arsenal’s Sokratis and David Luiz. – AFP