According to Unai Emery, Granit Xhaka didn’t have to react angrily and gesture to the fans. Xhaka happened to be substituted during his side’s Premier League draw with Crystal Palace.
Despite Arsenal being denied an apparent late winning goal by a controversial VAR intervention, the dominant post-match talking point was an unpleasant flashpoint between the Gunners skipper and the home crowd.
The captain was booed as he walked off the pitch at Emirates Stadium. The situation prompted him to cup his ears, take off his short, and walk past Emery storming down the tunnel.
“He is wrong but we are going to speak inside about the situation.” Said Emery.
The Arsenal boss then added, “I want to be calm but he was wrong in this action.”
News of substitution first begun with ironic cheers. Within a short time, they quickly turned to boos as Xhaka took his time to leave the filed sparking an angry reaction from the 27-year-old.
Digging into history, it is not the first time for Xhaka to be booed by his fans this season. With Emery publicly defending the Switzerland international after a game against Aston Villa last month.
The uneasy relationship with the Gunners fans, however, did not stop Emery from appointing Xhaka as the club captain in September after the summer departure of Laurent Koscielny.