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Stan Collymore claims 67-year-old pundit is better than Arsenal player

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
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Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Stan Collymore has absolutely leathered Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Not for the first time, Xhaka is public enemy number one among Gunners fans right now after his moment of madness on Sunday.

The Switzerland international was red carded in the 1-0 defeat by Burnley at the Emirates Stadium, at a time in the game when Arsenal were pressing for the opener.

Fans of the North London club have condemned their midfielder – as has head coach Mikel Arteta – and now Collymore has weighed into the topic.

Xhaka saw red for grabbing Ashley Westwood by the throat and Collymore has described the former Borussia Monchengladbach star as a ‘faux hardman’, a far cry from the likes of Roy Keane and Souness, whom he claims would still do a better job than him on the field.

He wrote in The Mirror on Monday: “The Swiss is a faux hard man whose unique selling point is tackling and breaking up play. But he’s not hard, good at tackling or breaking up play.

“And characters like him must have Roy Keane and Graeme Souness itching to get their boots back on. Let’s be honest, both of them would have more influence on the pitch even now than Xhaka has.”

Xhaka certainly doesn’t carry himself as some sort of tough nut in the mould of Keane or Souness, despite his actions on Sunday.

He is, however, just a tad too silly and petulant at times, making him a major liability for Arsenal – who are 15th in the Premier League table – and with January on the horizon, watch this space.

Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images