Arsenal fullback Nuno Tavares says he appreciates the leadership of Granit Xhaka.

Xhaka didn't mince his words when he called out his Arsenal teammates following their disappointing defeat to Newcastle as Champions League football slipped from their grasp.

Tavares insists he appreciates Xhaka's honesty and respects him as a leader.

The full-back insists some coaches "don't understand how to speak" to players but reckons Xhaka bridges that gap perfectly due to his vast experience.

He told the Counter Attack Podcast: “I don't know why people spoke about Granit. He's a leader, everybody respects him and his mentality is key for us.

"I think the way he talks with young players I think is enough to be happy to play. He knows what to tell the players. To give some confidence sometimes the coaches don't understand how to speak with the players.

“But Granit because he's a player too, he knows what he needs to tell you to get motivated but when you don't train well he's honest. Sometimes we joke about that when it's like a disaster he can tell you! But he's really good and funny, I think he's a leader and you can have a conversation with him, he knows everything."