Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock feels Arsenal fans have let captain Granit Xhaka down and indicated that their attitude could put off future signings.
The fallout between Gunners skipper Xhaka and the club's fans is continuing after he reacted with anger at being booed when substituted in a draw against Crystal Palace.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery has left Xhaka out of the squad for the weekend game with Watford and there are question marks over whether he will continue as captain.
Former Premier League defender Warnock is not impressed with the reaction of some Arsenal fans, insisting that players are human and need support during tough times. However, he does admit that Xhaka's actions when being brought off against Crystal Palace were wrong.
Warnock also insisted that the Arsenal fans' attitude to their captain will put pressure on the other players in the team and could potentially put off future signings.
"I think the Arsenal fans have let him [Xhaka] down as well", Warnock said on LFC TV Later.
"If you are having a tough time as a player – I have been there, I have been booed when I was playing – the last thing you need is that [criticism from fans].
"You need the fans to support you because it is a tough time, we're only human. We need that support network.
"The other thing that you look at is, the other players within the squad, now if they have a bad game, a bad time, are they thinking 'could they [the fans] be on me next?'
"Then you are looking at players who are going to come into the club, they are thinking 'I don't really want to play in front of these fans, they are not behind us. I'd rather go to a set of fans that are going to back you no matter how you play and whether you are going through tough times and things like that'.
"You [Xhaka] can't react in that way.
"I still understand that completely but the Arsenal fans, I don't think have done well by Xhaka."
Xhaka has started all but one of Arsenal's Premier League matches this season, being a key man under Emery.
