Arsenal's Granit Xhaka won't curb his aggressive style despite nine red cards in three years

The Swiss midfielder has come in for criticism for his poor disciplinary record with two of those dismissals coming since he joined the club last summer

Granit Xhaka has been sent off twice for Arsenal this season (Getty)

Granit Xhaka has no intention of curbing his aggressive style of play despite nine red cards in the last three years.

The Arsenal midfielder, a £34million arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach, has come in for criticism for his poor disciplinary record with two of those dismissals coming since he joined the club last summer.

But the 24-year-old says he will continue to play the game his way even if that means more early baths down the line.

“In football you get criticised if you are sent off,” he said after Arsenal's win over Manchester United on Sunday. “It’s my style of play and nobody can make me change that.

"Even if I get another red card, then that happens. You become cleverer, maybe look more and since my red card, I think things have improved.”

Xhaka has struggled for form this term but produced perhaps the best performance of his Arsenal career on Sunday scoring the opening goal as the Gunners beat United to keep their slim hopes of a top four finish alive.

The win leaves Arsene Wenger's side six points off fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand and seven adrift of Liverpool in third having played two games fewer than the Reds.

Qualifying for the Champions League from this position would be some achievement but Xhaka has faith that they have what it takes to do it.

“This is a phase where we have to win every game, which we know,” he added. “We have four games left that we need to approach in the same way as today. If we do that, I’m convinced that we can achieve what we want now.”