Xhaka tears into Arsenal teammates; football pundits label him 'disgrace'

Granit Xhaka launched a scathing attack on his Arsenal teammates after the Gunners registered a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle, throwing away the Champions League spot that once looked guaranteed.

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The Swiss international also suggested that some players did not deserve to be on the pitch in Monday's must-win Premier League clash. However, football pundits have hit back at Xhaka and labelled him as a disgrace for criticising the younger members of Mikel Arteta's squad.

Arsenal headed to the North East, knowing only a victory would see them overtake Tottenham back into fourth, but after a woeful 2-0 defeat, they look to have all but thrown away their chance to qualify for next year's most elite European football competition.

Speaking with Sky Sports after the game, the 29-year-old said, "It's difficult to find the right words. From the first minute to the 90th we didn't deserve to be on the pitch. I can't explain to you why."

"We didn't do what the game plan was. We were not listening to the coach. What happened was a disaster performance. You don't deserve to play Champions League or even Europa League [with that display]. It's very hard to take it at the moment. I don't know why we're not doing what the coach is asking for us," Xhaka added.

When asked if inexperience in the squad was an issue, the midfielder responded, "If someone isn't ready for this game, stay at home. It doesn't matter your age. If you're nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home. You need people to have the balls to come here and play. It's one of the most important games for us."

"We're feeling very disappointed for the people who came over here. Sorry to them [fans], I don't have any other words. The dressing room is very quiet. The game plan was totally different to what we did over 90 minutes. We are waiting for six years. We had everything in our hands. We looked like we were in the position where Newcastle are and they were where we are," Xhaka remarked.

The Switzerland international admitted that Arsenal still has the chance to snatch fourth on the final day of the season, although it is no longer in their hands. "If Tottenham lose and we win, you never know in football. We have to hope. Before the game, everything was in our hands. It's a totally different game now. If you have to hope in football and in life it's different," Xhaka concluded.

Following Xhaka's brutally candid comments, Gary Neville called the midfielder out for his double standards. "I don't know what to make of that. He's having a right dig at players in the dressing room. I hope he wasn't having a go at these young players. He has been a disgrace at times, getting sent off, etcetera. He has left it up in the air there," the former Manchester United defender said.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher echoed Neville's opinion, insisting that the place to come out with 'powerful words' is on the pitch, not in interviews. "We like players to come out in interviews,' he said. 'Easy to come out and be powerful with your words. But do it on the pitch. He has called out some of the young players, some not ready… I love players being honest and straight but it is easy to do that…he was part of that. It was like everybody was involved in that," Carragher said.

Ben White's own goal and Bruno Guimaraes's late strike saw Eddie Howe's team take all three points at St James's Park. Arsenal now hosts relegation battlers Everton on the final day of the season, knowing they need a win and a defeat for Tottenham to clinch the top four.