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What's the story?
Ahead of the match against Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow, Unai Emery has confirmed that Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka will miss the game. This comes after the 27-year-old issued a statement explaining his swearing and gestures towards fans.
In case you didn't know...
After the Swiss international's actions during the match against Crystal Palace last weekend, many fans have called for Xhaka to be stripped of the captain's armband. When Arsenal traveled to Anfield for their Carabao Cup tie, the midfielder was absent from the squad. Instead, it was Hector Bellerin who led the team in their defeat to Liverpool.
Since the season began, Xhaka has made nine Premier League appearances. He missed just one game back in August, when the Gunners hosted Burnley at the Emirates Stadium.
The heart of the matter
In Emery's latest press conference, the manager provided further updates with regard to the situation Xhaka is facing. He said,
"It is not in my mind that he will play tomorrow. I am thinking tomorrow he is not going to play."
"Now we need to be focused 100 per cent only on the match. We are going to do the training today but at the moment it is not in my mind."
Furthermore, Emery also hinted that the club will soon decide whether the midfielder remains the captain of the team. He added,
"The first is the person, the human. Like everyone he feels, Xhaka, with his issues, needs time to recover normality."
"He said sorry, he gave the apology to the supporters and to everybody. Now is the focus on the match."
"We were waiting on Monday and Tuesday (to sort out the captaincy)."
Earlier in September, Emery had named five captains. In addition to Xhaka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Hector Bellerin have also been tasked with the responsibility of stepping up as the captain.
What's next?
Arsenal fans will take delight in knowing that Ozil could be back in the Premier League matchday squad for the Gunners. The German returned to action when Arsenal played Liverpool midweek and he could once again feature in tomorrow's game.
As for Xhaka, while he won't feature in the Wolves match, it remains to be seen what his long-term future at Arsenal is.
