Granit Xhaka appeared to snub an attempt by teammate Eddie Nketiah to hand him the captain’s armband during the clash against Brentford
The armband was eventually given to full-back Kieran Tierney, leading to some debate on social media
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta however played down the incident, saying it was nothing more than a misunderstanding

There was a moment of confusion during the Arsenal-Brentford clash as Granit Xhaka appeared to refuse to take up the armband after Alexandre Lacazette was substituted.

Arsenal ran out comfortable 2-1 winners as goals from Emile-Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka were enough to see off the Bees at the Emirates.

It was a much-needed result for Mikel Arteta’s side, who now move to within one point of Manchester United in fourth position, having played two games less.

An otherwise perfect afternoon by the Gunners had a slight blemish, as Xhaka refused to take up captaincy when handed the armband by Eddie Nketiah.

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In a video of the incident that is doing rounds online, Nketiah is seen running to give Xhaka the armband after Alexandre Lacazette is taken off late in the game.

But the Swiss international openly ignores the gesture, telling Nketiah to give it to full-back Kieran Tierney.

Granti Xhaka — Granit Xhaka appeared to snub an attempt by team mate Eddie Nketiah to hand him the captain’s armband during the clash against Brentford. Photo by Shaun Botterill.
Source: Getty Images

The incident led to talk online, with sections of fans understanding Xhaka’s decision while others called him out.

Piers Morgan also weighed in on the incident, tweeting:

"Xhaka refusing to take the armband perfectly sums up Arsenal’s biggest problem: since Vieira left, we’ve never had a proper captain/leader."

What Arteta said

Mikel Arteta also weighed in on the incident, saying the whole thing was nothing more than a misunderstanding.

"It was for Keiran, he was next in line and that's why.

"Maybe Eddie didn't pick up the message and Granit told him to give it to Keiran."

Arteta also heaped praise on his youngsters, who proved to be the difference between a win and a draw on Saturday.

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"They have to get the headlines because they do what is most difficult and win the match by an individual action. They deserve credit for that, but I thought the rest of the team were very good too.