Arsenal midfielder confirms he is struggling with a minor Achilles concern

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has acknowledged that he has been carrying a knock for the past few weeks but that should not keep him out of first-team action.

The Switzerland international has been unofficially named as the Gunners captain following the departure of Laurent Koscielny and he has featured in three of the club's four league matches.

Speaking on international duty, Xhaka has now revealed that he has been suffering from pain on his Achilles tendon and that has impacted his performances in recent weeks.

"I’ve been suffering from Achilles tendon pain for a few weeks now. I felt it during the game. It hurts now, but it should be okay otherwise," he was quoted as saying by The Mirror.

Xhaka recently received criticism from the Gunners fans after the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur where he conceded a reckless penalty in a 2-2 draw.

He has since captained Switzerland in the European qualifiers against Ireland and Gibraltar and is expected to feature in the Premier League clash against Watford this weekend.