Kevin Campbell reckons that Granit Xhaka helped saved Kieran Tierney from being sent off after Arsenal’s game against Leeds last weekend.
Tierney had been incensed by Ezgjan Alioski who had caused Nicolas Pepe to be sent off in the game.
The Scotsman seemed to be waiting for the final whistle before confronting the north Macedonian international.
After the final whistle, he did exactly that. Alioski was standing with Xhaka at the time when Tierney approached him.
The former Arsenal captain seemed to be taking sides with the Leeds man, but Campbell sees it differently and he told Football Insider that Xhaka was actually protecting his teammate from getting into trouble.
Martin Keown had written in the Daily Mail that Tierney was unhappy with Xhaka for having his arms around Alioski, but Campbell disagrees.
He was asked if he supports his former teammate’s view and he said: “Was it at Granit Xhaka or was it at Alioski?
“As far as I am concerned, Xhaka was saving Kieran Tierney from potentially getting sent off. That is all you need after the final whistle, losing our regular left-back when you have already had one man sent off.
“No – Xhaka was trying to be the peacemaker. He was trying to help his teammate out.
“All of this ‘His arms were round Alioski’ – we do not know what he was saying to him. Nobody knows.
“Xhaka could have been giving him a mouthful but in a nice way. Everybody thinks he was pallying up to him but we do not know.
“Tierney is a fiery character and Xhaka used his experience. Xhaka helped him I think.”