Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka hits back at Patrice Evra’s ‘my babies’ comment

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Granit Xhaka has slammed Patrice Evra and other pundits’ comments on Arsenal’s mentality away from home.

Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka spoke to The Standard and has hit back at Patrice Evra and other pundits who have questioned his side’s mentality away from home.

Evra was critical of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on Monday and claimed that he used to call the Gunners ‘my babies’. Lys Mousset’s close-range effort in the first half was enough for the Blades to take all three points against an Arsenal side who had just one good chance.

The former Manchester United skipper’s comments appear to have rattled Xhaka as the Swiss international did not hold back in his response to Evra and the other pundits who have been critical of Arsenal’s mentality.

He said: “We have to stop speaking about mental [issues] or bulls*** like this. A lot of people speak too much.

“I hear that the first time he (Evra) speaks something against us. I have a lot of respect about him because he was a great player. But you have to be careful what you say in those situations as well.

“It’s not only him, it’s a lot of people. They speak a lot of bulls*** about us. It’s always the same. For me it’s strange because they (pundits) were in the same situation as us, they were players as well. Maybe sometimes it was good, sometimes it was not so good.”

Xhaka does have a point with regards to constant criticism from the pundits but Arsenal have done very little in terms of away performances to change their opinions.

The Gunners have won just four away games since the turn of the year and have only kept two clean sheets in 24 away games since Unai Emery took over the club.