GOLDEN BOOT THE TARGET FOR RED-HOT AUBAMEYANG

Pierre-emerick AubAmeyAng has an eye on the golden boot as he nears the end of his first full season in english football and Arsenal dream of a return to the champions League.

Aubameyang took his goal tally this season to 25 in all competitions with the third in a 3-1 win against Valencia on Thursday in the europa League semi-final first leg.

nineteen have come in the Premier League and, with fixtures remaining against brighton tomorrow and burnley next week, he is one behind Sadio mane and Sergio Aguero and two adrift of mohamed Salah.

‘When you’re a striker it means a lot,’ said Aubameyang. ‘if you want to be the best you have to win the golden boot.

‘it’s a tough battle. We have great strikers in the Premier League. They are so consistent all season. They score and they score and they score. That’s what makes them so special.

‘but i’m a guy who is confident and i know i can do it. There’s still two games to play so i have my chances — why not?’

Aubameyang won the 2017 bundesliga golden boot with 31 goals for borussia Dortmund, before joining Arsenal for £56million six months later. He has developed a potent partnership with Alexandre Lacazette, who has 18 of his own for the season with 13 in the league.

‘maybe this is the first season in my career that i play with another striker like Laca,’ said Aubameyang. ‘i’m really happy we are doing well. We always give everything for the team. Laca deserves to score goals, and i think i do as well.

‘We have the same vision about football when we talk in the dressing room, the same ideas and the same feelings. The fact we understand each other is the thing that makes the difference in the games.

‘my ambition was to bring the club back into the champions League and we are not so far away,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we’ll reach this target.’

Two routes remain open for unai emery’s side, via the top four or by winning the europa League. Aubameyang is hoping to avoid chelsea if Arsenal reach the final in baku.

For goalkeeper Petr cech, who will retire at the end of the season, it would be the perfect closing chapter to play the last game of a 20-year career against his old club in a final.

‘it would be like a circle,’ said cech, 36. ‘my first match for Arsenal was against chelsea and the last one of my career again? Why not?’