Emmanuel Petit has a message for Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka.
The fallout from Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace continues and the Gunners skipper remains very much in the firing line for his actions in the second half at the Emirates Stadium.
Xhaka sparked outrage when he told fans to ‘f*** off’, cupped his hands to his ears and stripped off his shirt as he headed straight down the tunnel after being substituted.
Based on those actions it would appear there's no way back for the 27-year-old into the hearts of the fanbase.
However, Petit - who described the incident as a "betrayal" - thinks the midfielder can win back the supporters provided he gets his head down and works hard.
"It's very difficult for the Arsenal fans to forgive Xhaka," Petit told Paddy Power. "They don’t want him to play for their club any more. To pass over what happened would be really difficult for Unai Emery – is he going to have the guts to keep Xhaka as captain? I’m not sure.
"But, more importantly, are the club are going to do something about what happened? I think they have to, as a message to the fans and the players.
"Whatever happens on the pitch, the fans have the right to boo and show they are unhappy, the same way they have the right to applaud when you score and win games.
"It’s normal. This is an absolute basic for life as a football player – it’s the same in the street, even if someone comes up to you and says you’re s***, you have to keep your nerve.
"I know it’s difficult, especially with the pressure Xhaka has been under for the last few weeks. He’s been criticised by the fans and the media – by me, too, as a player, rather than as a person – but this is what it means to be captain of a big club.
"Now, Xhaka has to be very solid in his mind. He needs to realise that what happened on Sunday was a mistake. I’m pretty sure he’s going to come up with an excuse, though.
"For now, I’ll be very surprised if he’s on the team-sheet for the Liverpool game.
If I were to talk to Xhaka, I would say: ‘You are doing the most exciting job in the world, and you have to make sacrifices. You must understand that, when you play for a big club like Arsenal, and are captain on top of that, you must be an example on and off the pitch.
'Right now, you're not.
Emmanuel Petit was speaking exclusively to Paddy Power News. To read more, visit news.paddypower.com
