LOVE IS AUB AROUND ASTON VILLA ARSENAL
Support he received in hour of need shows just how highly he’s regarded here says boss Arteta
MIKEL ARTETA has revealed how the support of the Arsenal dressing room helped pull Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through one of the toughest times of his career.
Aubameyang is ready to return to the starting line-up at Aston Villa today after making a mercy dash to visit his seriously ill mother in France.
The Gunners captain, who missed three games, was a substitute at Wolves in midweek after just one training session.
And he is desperate to return to the starting line-up to repay the faith and love shown by his teammates and Arsenal fans on social media.
Aubameyang has had a difficult, stop-start season which made it even tougher to miss key games. But Arteta said the support shown to him revealed just how highly he is regarded at the Emirates.
The Arsenal manager said: “It shows the spirit around the dressing room and how much we care for each other.
“He’s a player who is very much liked and respected because of his character and for what he’s done at this club. He totally deserved that support.
“Individually for him it’s been tough because, when you see a member of your family suffering and going through a difficult period, it drains you emotionally. You have to be close to them.
“And I think he made the right decision to go to them.
“But he wants to be here, he wants to be training, he doesn’t want to miss matches. You know Auba. He wants to play every minute of every single competition.
“So he was taking the responsibility of being with his family but at the same time he wanted to be here. He was training on his own and I think he’s managed that really well.”
Aubameyang has struggled in front of goal this season, his two against Newcastle last month were his first in the Premier
League for a month. Yet Arteta believes he is firmly on back on the goal trail now.
“Every player needs that confidence,” said Arteta. “His ability to produce big moments and score goals, which is always the most difficult thing in football, is unique.”
Arsenal will be without David Luiz and Bernd Leno (below) at Villa as both were sent off in the midweek defeat at Wolves. Defender Luiz (left) had an appeal against the decision turned down on Thursday.
But that game at Molineux did show just how far Nicolas Pepe has come in recent weeks.
The £72million club-record signing has struggled badly in English football but is finally showing glimpses of his quality. Arteta said: “If you ask me personally what I think of the performance that he put in overall, in all the phases of the game, I’d say it is the best he has played.
“But he needs guidance. And he needs clarity in what he needs to do.
“And then he needs the discipline on the pitch to do what he needs to do.
“Obviously he needs the freedom in certain moments to express himself as a player.”