pgfplots: `x dir = reverse` --> Problem with x-label (`xlabel`) placement

Question

Issue

• I use x dir = reverse to reverse the direction of the x-axis (arrow points to the left).
• Is there an easy way to also move the x label to the "correct" position (mirrored regarding the y-axis compared to the "normal" case)?

---

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}

% http://pgfplots.sourceforge.net/gallery.html
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[
        axis lines = middle,
        xlabel = {x label},
        ylabel = {y label},
        x dir = reverse, % <-- Important
    ]
    % use TeX as calculator:
    \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Related

Positioning of Pgfplot axis labels

Answer 1

You can set the position with xlabel style={at={}}. The left of the plot is current axis.left of origin.

MWE:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{pgfplots}

\begin{document}

% http://pgfplots.sourceforge.net/gallery.html
\begin{tikzpicture}
    \begin{axis}[
        axis lines = middle,
        xlabel = {x label},
        xlabel style={at={(current axis.left of origin)},anchor=south west},
        ylabel = {y label},
        x dir = reverse, % <-- Important
    ]
    % use TeX as calculator:
    \addplot {x^2 - x +4};
    \end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Result:

Source: PGFPLOTS manual section 4.9.9 Axis Lines.