Arsenal hero Martin Keown says manager Unai Emery is to blame for Granit Xhaka's blow-up with fans on Sunday.
Xhaka faces being stripped of the club captaincy after events against Crystal Palace.
Keown told the Daily Mail: "Sunday was not the first time Granit Xhaka has been jeered by his own fans. It happened on September 22 too, when Aston Villa visited.
"Villa were leading 2-1 at the time, then Xhaka was substituted and serenaded by boos. Arsenal, despite being down to 10 men, went on to win 3-2 without the midfielder. Then five days later, Unai Emery names Xhaka as captain anyway.
"Emery is as much to blame as anyone. If you let the players pick their skipper, then it becomes a popularity contest and that is not what leadership is about. I've never had a manager who decided the captaincy that way and, for me, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still the safer bet."
