Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, has slammed midfielder Granit Xhaka, after he was sent off in the Gunners’ 2-1 win over Burnley on Sunday.
Referee Jon Moss dismissed the 24-year-old for the second time this season, after he clattered into Steven Defour in the second half of the game, with the home side leading 1-0.
It is the third time Xhaka will be sent off this season in 30 appearances for club and country.
Henry was left baffled by his latest moment of madness and questioned the temperament of the player, who only arrived at the Emirates last summer.
“It’s not the first time. He did the same thing against Swansea,” Henry told Sky Sports.
“This one I just don’t get it. Against Swansea it was a counter. Here, he gives the ball cheaply away.
“Why are you doing that 60 yards away from your goal, 25 minutes to go, you’re in control of the game? You misplace a pass. So what? Stay on your feet.
“As soon as you do that, the rules say it’s a red. Is it worse than [Marcos] Rojo who didn’t get a red? No. But the rule says both feet off the ground, it’s a red.” Xhaka will now serve a four-match ban, which means he will miss the FA Cup tie at Southampton, as well as Premier League fixtures against Watford, Chelsea and Hull City, except the Gunners launch a successful appeal.
Manager Arsene Wenger said Xhaka’s sendings off were “punishing” Arsenal and added that although he had not seen a replay of the incident, “the noises that I get say that it was a red card.”
He added: “He has to control his game and not punish the team with a lack of control in his tackling.
“We don’t encourage our midfielders to go down on tackles, we want them to stand up and not to make this kind of foul. If it’s a bad tackle it’s a red card.”
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