Granit Xhaka has questioned his Arsenal teammates’ mental fortitude after a 2-0 collapse at Newcastle on Monday night left their top four hopes all but over.
Three points would have seen Mikel Arteta’s men leapfrog north London rivals Tottenham into fourth with just one match to play, but a dismal performance against Eddie Howe’s self-confident Newcastle saw the Gunners’ once-seemingly assured Champions League hopes go up in smoke.
“If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home,” the former club captain told Sky Sports after the game. “It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home. You need people to come here and play.
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“It’s one of the most important games for us. We’re feeling very disappointed for the people who came over here. Sorry to them.”
The Switzerland international then repeated his comments in an interview with BBC Sport. “If you don’t listen to the coach and do your own stuff, it doesn’t work,” he said.
“People speak always about leaders. We’re not playing tennis, we’re playing football. If someone is not ready for this pressure, stay at home. You can’t come here and play like this.”
The honest verdict received short shrift from Sky’s Gary Neville. He said: “I don’t know who he’s having a go at there. I hope he wasn’t having a go at those younger players. Him?
“I tell you what he’s been a disgrace at times over the last four or five years, getting sent off recklessly. He’s left it up in the air there, that was nothing there.”
After three defeats on the spin in early April, Arsenal had bounced back impressively with a run of four wins that included victories over Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham.
But alarm bells will now be ringing at the Emirates after Monday’s wilting – which came just four days after Spurs ran riot and won 3-0 in the north London derby.
“We have to cope with those nights and we didn’t cope with those nights,” Arteta said. “We haven’t been able to deal with situations throughout the season. The squad suffered a lot with injuries but that can’t be an excuse.”
He added: “We have to put our head down and accept the performance was nowhere near the standard required for the Champions League.”
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Sky pundit Jamie Carragher said Arsenal’s likely failure to qualify for the Champions League in a season when they have not been playing European games in midweek will cause problems in the long run.
“Yes, it is over and I think that’s a massive problem, not just this season,” Carragher said. “I think it’s a huge problem for Mikel Arteta and this Arsenal team going forward.
“That was a big advantage for them. They are not in the best four sides in the country but they had an advantage on the other teams and they still haven’t made it. I do really fear for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta next season, that’s a real bad one tonight.”
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