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William Gallas has been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and was ordered last night not to board the team bus for the Premier League match away to Manchester City.
Arsene Wenger made the decision after a team meeting yesterday following Gallas's outburst attacking Arsenal players including Robin van
Persie.
Gallas yesterday criticised another Arsenal team-mate, Samir Nasri, and in his just-published autobiography detailed a bust-up with the midfielder while they were on international duty during Euro 2008.
Wenger had to try to halt the crisis that is in danger of engulfing Arsenal's season following the stuttering start to their League campaign - with four defeats - and serious injury to Theo Walcott and claims of divisions and arguments fuelled by Gallas.
The manager had wanted to stand by the 31-year-old, as he has done in the past, particularly after the defender's petulant sit-down protest against Birmingham City last season, but, according to
sources, felt he had to act because of the strength of feeling from other players over Gallas.
Gallas's exclusion from the trip to City occurred even though the squad was already depleted by the absence of Kolo Toure and Bacary Sagna through injury, with Cesc Fabregas suspended.
Wenger said he hopes to reinstate Gallas but he is believed to be considering an alternative long-term appointment, such as Fabregas or Gael Clichy, with Gallas likely to leave at the end of the season if not before.
Earlier in the week, Gallas did not name van Persie in an interview but hinted about a player who, he claimed, had sworn at him and verbally abused others and was involved in a half-time clash in the dressing room during the 4-4 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month.
That interview was part of promotional work for Gallas's autobiography which contains revelations that will have upset Wenger. Gallas doesn't name the player he clashed with but refers to him as "S", a midfielder.
Sources said it was Nasri. Gallas said he and "S" had argued during a training session after he had scolded the midfielder for not calling out when he made a pass, with the ball falling behind Gallas who then claimed he was sworn at by his team-mate and told to "worry about your own game".
"They think they know everything but they know nothing," Gallas said of France's young players, just as he had criticised Arsenal's. "I was also 20 years old once. I would never have allowed myself to speak in this tone to a footballer who was older than me. The youngsters from the Euros seem cheeky, very sure of themselves. They think they know it all, but they don't know anything.
"Faced with his contempt, I raised my voice. The young player said, 'Lower your voice, speak less loudly'. I replied, 'How are you speaking to me? Who do you think you are? You are only 20 years old. I am not your friend'." The player then replied, "I'm not your friend either" with Gallas adding: "Straight away, I see red."
The argument continued when the players boarded the team bus when "S" took Thierry Henry's seat. Gallas called the player "insolent" although he finally did change seats.
In his book, Gallas talks about finishing his career in France having already said he may quit Arsenal if a trophy isn't won this season. "It's true that I'd like to return to France for one or perhaps two seasons to finish my career," Gallas said. "But if I go it won't be to just anywhere. I'd go to a big club or nowhere at all."
Meanwhile, Wenger confirmed Arsenal would seek compensation, which could be around 1.5m, from insurers for Walcott's shoulder injury which occurred while he was on England duty last week. The Independent