Man United Clash Calls For New Arsenal Captain Xhaka To Repay Emery Faith
29th September 2019
Monday's visit to an injury-ravaged United offers Arsenal a great chance for their first league victory at Old Trafford since 2006
- Granit Xhaka will lead Arsenal into Monday's Premier League clash at Manchester United as the club's new captain
- That is a combination many supporters would like to see on a more regular basis, but Xhaka's elevated status in the dressing room means he will remain a fixture for some time to come
- Emery sought votes from his squad before naming a five-man leadership group on Friday, of which Xhaka came top, but the Spanish manager is aware of the doubters questioning his decision
MANCHESTER, United
Kingdom- Granit Xhaka will lead Arsenal into Monday's Premier League clash
at Manchester United as the club's new captain, but the Swiss midfielder has to
win over plenty of doubters that he is fit to wear the Gunners' armband.
Xhaka's discipline and defensive awareness have repeatedly been questioned since joining the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016, but both Arsene Wenger and current Arsenal boss Unai Emery have consistently put their faith in the 27-year-old.
Despite being down to 10 men, Arsenal turned the game around
with the energetic duo of Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira buzzing around
the midfield.
That is a combination many supporters would like to see on a
more regular basis, but Xhaka's elevated status in the dressing room means he
will remain a fixture for some time to come.
Emery sought votes from his squad before naming a five-man
leadership group on Friday, of which Xhaka came top, but the Spanish manager is
aware of the doubters questioning his decision.
"In the dressing room the players voted him as the first
(in the) leadership (group)," said Emery on Friday.
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"I spoke with him, we want to change that opinion
outside. That respect he has inside is very, very important.
"Each match is for him, for me, for us, is a very good
opportunity to show our capacity.
"Really I trust and believe in him. He is a good man. A
good professional. A good player."
Arsenal have a break clause in the contract they handed the
former Sevilla manager in 2018 that could see him released at the end of the
season if he fails to deliver Champions League football to the Emirates for the
first time in four years.
"It is a brave decision from the manager," said
former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, who described Xhaka's performance against
Tottenham earlier in the season as being "like a fire engine that turns up
and discovers the house has already burned down."
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A stereotypical late lunge conceded a penalty that day in
the north London derby as Arsenal had to battle back from 2-0 down to salvage a
point.
Monday's visit to an injury-ravaged United offers Arsenal a
great chance for their first league victory at Old Trafford since 2006.
Do so and they will also open up a six-point lead over one
of their rivals to break into the top tour.
For Emery to show to his superiors that he is making
progress as Wenger's long-awaited successor, he needs Xhaka to start to inspire
his side to rise to the occasion.