Add as preferred source on Google

Martin Keown has admitted that he’s felt sorry for Granit Xhaka recently due to the fact he’s been asked to play out of position.

Xhaka, 28, is a ball-playing central midfielder that usually operates in front of the back four, and on his day can be a composing figure on his side.

However, the £30million Gunners player has been asked to slot in at left-back for several games recently due to the injury to Kieran Tierney.

Left-footer Xhaka gives it 100 per cent on the pitch, but he’s not athletic enough or fast enough to cope with skilful wide players running at him one-on-one.

Unfortunately, he had a tough game in the 2-1 defeat to Villarreal on Thursday night in the first leg of a Europa League semi-final, and manager Mikel Arteta decided to stick with Xhaka at left-back rather than select versatile defender Cedric Soares or Bukayo Saka in that role.

Pundit and ex-Gunners defender Keown has shared his view on Xhaka:

“Another key issue, which may well be highlighted against Newcastle tomorrow, is at left back. Granit Xhaka does not deserve to be getting the blame. I feel for him. He’s a midfielder being told to play at left back by his manager in Kieran Tierney’s absence,” Keown wrote for the Daily Mail.

“Xhaka played well there against Sheffield United, and Arsenal kept their first clean sheet for 13 games. But he has since been left exposed by higher-quality opponents, such as Richarlison for Everton and Samuel Chukwueze for Villarreal. He could now face Newcastle’s in-form Allan Saint-Maximin.”

TBR’s View:

He divides opinion, but Xhaka can be extremely effective in the Arsenal midfield and the Switzerland national team captain does have real quality on the ball.

It’s unfair to be too harsh on him for his efforts at full-back.

If Tierney is not available against Villarreal next week for the second leg, Arteta can’t fall into the same mistake of starting Xhaka at left-back again. He’s got options in his squad that are a far better solution.