Unai Emery has named Granit Xhaka Arsenal's
permanent captain after the Swiss international won a players' vote for their
preferred skipper.
Xhaka replaces Laurent Koscielny after leading the
team in six of their eight games this season. Emery consulted with his players
before informing the squad this morning ahead of Monday's game at Manchester
United.
Xhaka has yet to convince onlookers in the role so
far this season and was jeered by his own fans during last weekend's win over
Aston Villa, but Emery is confident the Switzerland international can change
opinion.
"Xhaka is mature, he has experience," the
Gunners boss said. "We are living under pressure and criticism; as a
coach, as a player, as a club. The most important thing is to stand up in each
moment.
"I spoke with him, we want to change that
outside opinion [of him]. The respect he has inside is very important. I trust
and believe in him. He is a good man, a good professional, a good player.
"Sometimes he has made mistakes but the most
important thing is to analyse, to learn and correct those mistakes. He can go
ahead with his quality, with his behaviour, with his commitment and the players
voted him as the first leadership."
Emery introduced a pool of five captains following
his appointment last summer but saw his original choices reduced by the summer
departures of Koscielny, Petr Cech and Aaron Ramsey.
Emery is yet to choose a vice-captain, with
Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang understood to be the leading
candidates.
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