According to The Times, Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe was scheduled to hold talks with boss Mikel Arteta today.
Pepe was given a chance to shine in the Arsenal starting XI against Leeds United on Sunday, but the evening turned into a nightmare for the Ivorian.
Early in the second half, Pepe headbutted Ezgjan Alioski, and was given his marching orders after the incident was caught on camera.
That left Arsenal in the lurch for 40 minutes, and he is somewhat lucky that his teammates dug in and still managed to claim a 0-0 draw.
Arteta has publicly criticised Pepe for his petulant act, and it’s now suggested that the pair held talks today.
Arteta allegedly ‘took Pepe to task’ in the dressing room over his red card, and the Spaniard is annoyed with Pepe’s inconsistency and inability to turn moments of flair into consistent quality.
Additionally, Arsenal have no plans to loan Pepe out in January to rebuild his confidence, believing that their busy schedule means he simply can’t go.
The Mirror add that Arteta will start Pepe in Thursday’s game with Molde, giving him an immediate chance to bounce back from Sunday’s incident despite his annoyance.
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