Xhaka clarifies controversial comments made after defeat to Newcastle

lost with two goals against

to surrender their advantage in the race for Champions League qualification to Tottenham. After the game, Xhaka criticized his teammates and said Arsenal need people to have the balls and if someone isn't ready they should stay at home.

Arsenal midfielder in an interview with ESPN says his comments were not aimed at younger players of Arsenal.

"This was not against our young players,"

told ESPN.

"I put myself there as well. We were not ready for this game, to fight.

"We knew if we won this game, we would have another final against Everton at home [on the last day of the Premier League season].

"The thing is about the mentality - when you have something, you can take it - it is not the first time we let it down.

"A lot of people start to think, ‘Yeah he’s speaking again,’ and stuff like this, but maybe they didn’t understand what and how I meant it.

"If I can say now something about this interview, I told you: this has nothing to do with the young players, it is to do with us all together."

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