Carragher tears into ‘ridiculous’ Arsenal player during Liverpool game

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Jamie Carragher has criticised Granit Xhaka after the Arsenal midfielder lost his cool with Trent Alexander-Arnold shortly before half-time of their clash with Liverpool.

Granit Xhaka was booked shortly before the break at Anfield. The Swiss was clearly frustrated after not being awarded a free-kick following a clash with Ibrahima Konate.

Of course, Xhaka has been receiving plaudits for his temperament this season. But the Gunners star could not resist leaving something on Trent Alexander-Arnold as he got up.

Carragher tears into Granit Xhaka

Unsurprisingly, Alexander-Arnold retaliated, shoving Xhaka as the midfielder started to leave the scene. And that prompted Xhaka to turn around and the pair to go head to head.

Thankfully for Arsenal, the situation did not escalate further as the pair were separated. They were shown yellow cards. But Carragher could not believe that Xhaka got himself involved in the clash.

“What is he thinking though? Xhaka, turning up at Anfield, throws his arm or something into Trent. Just ridiculous,” he told Sky Sports. “Trent then reacts and the crowd gets up. But the ball’s already gone, it’s 2-0, you’re almost at half-time.”

Gunners star reverted to old habits

Obviously, Carragher’s comments proved to be almost prophetic. The atmosphere did suddenly change. And Liverpool were able to get a goal back before the break, with Mo Salah bundling the ball home on the back post.

It was bizarre from Xhaka. Perhaps he was fouled by Konate. But he reverted to his old character by getting up and making a needless challenge on Alexander-Arnold after the ball had already gone.

Xhaka has cost Arsenal on a number of occasions in the past. And often, they have happened when he has been unable to keep his cool.

He had seemed a changed man for much of the last 18 months. And there have been plenty of occasions this term when he has walked away from situations which may have previously led to him losing his cool.

Ultimately, he was not able to do that. And it probably did hurt Arsenal in the remaining minutes of the first-half.