Arsenal players have responded to Granit Xhaka's apology for being dismissed against Liverpool on Thursday evening.
The Switzerland international picked up the fifth red card of his Gunners career during the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final at Anfield.
Xhaka produced a poor challenge on Liverpool forward Diego Jota after just 24 minutes, before his team-mates managed to hold on for a heroic goalless draw.
The midfielder will now miss the second leg at the Emirates next week, as well as Sunday's North London derby at Tottenham.
"I want to apologise to everyone," wrote Xhaka on Instagram. "I am so proud of my team and the spirit that they showed to keep a clean sheet tonight."
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Although some Arsenal fans may feel let down by Xhaka, others replied to his Instagram post with messages of support.
Current Gunners skipper Alexandre Lacazette also backed the suspended ace to bounce back, replying: "We are together."
And defender Rob Holding added: "Together."
When asked about the red card after the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: "I haven’t seen it... I cannot judge it because I haven't seen the action."
The Spaniard did, however, praise his players for stopping Liverpool from taking the lead in the two-legged affair. Just two months ago, Arsenal were hammered 4-0 at Anfield.
"I’m extremely proud of what the boys did today in an extremely difficult stadium against a great opponent and playing 70 minutes with 10 men," said Arteta.
"It was about fight, spirit, commitment and as well the quality that they showed to play a game that is not in our strength and not in what we trained, but it was necessary to win.
"I want to see a team that plays with emotion and transmits everything that we talked about every day and I’ve seen that today, so I’m very happy."
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher slammed Xhaka for his "ridiculous" challenge on Jota but insisted other Arsenal players were to blame for the dismissal.
"When you’re a defender now – and we see Kieran Tierney… his job, even though he’s got four or five players higher up the pitch, is still to go and press," Carragher told Sky Sports.
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"And that’s the guy that gets Xhaka sent off. Tierney then follows the ball to Jordan Henderson, because again it’s about, 'We push in and press.'
"And his mate Gabriel, he’s pushed in with Roberto Firmino. This is not a mistake by them, this is what they are told to do. But they haven’t got close enough to affect the play.
"And you’ve now got a race between Xhaka and Jota. Xhaka knows he’s there, he has two or three looks. This pass from Andy Robertson is a perfect pass.
"Jota thinks, 'I’ve just got to chest it' and Xhaka does what Xhaka does. He makes an absolutely ridiculous challenge when Jota has got so much to do."
