This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Arsenal kept their unbeaten run going against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night, although it wasn’t in great fashion.
The Gunners had to make do with a 1-1 draw against the Red Devils and, although it puts them back into the top four, Unai Emery and co will be feeling this was a missed opportunity to pick up all three points against a side struggling for confidence after a 2-0 defeat to West Ham United and a 1-1 Carabao Cup draw with Rochdale; United eventually won the latter on penalties.
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It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, as there were some performances that will have pleased the Emery.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on the scoresheet once again to bag his eighth goal of the campaign, whilst Bukayo Saka was one of the more incisive players on the field and assisted the Gabon international’s strike.
The main absentee from this match was Alexandre Lacazette, as he has been for much of the month after being advised to rest due to an ankle injury. However, although he may soon return from sidelines, those two performances should put him under pressure, and he will need to hit the ground running when he is back in the team.
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That is mainly because Aubameyang continues to show exactly why he is one of the best strikers on the planet. He has netted in all but one match so far this term, and his goals have come at huge moments.
His strike against United was the equaliser, whilst he also levelled against Tottenham and scored the winner against Aston Villa. Lacazette may have netted twice himself this term, but he just can’t compete with the former Borussia Dortmund man’s prolific goalscoring rate.
Of course, Emery has tried to shoehorn the two into the same side by playing Aubameyang on the wing on occasion, both this season and last.
Now, Nicolas Pepe has come in on the right, so he will no doubt make that position his own, but the left wing has remained a problem. The issue in the past has been the lack of consistent, reliable options, and the 30-year-old forward is no slouch from that flank, bagging 17 goals from 38 matches according to transfermarkt, although he is obviously better up top.
However, Saka may have given his manager a real alternative there. A natural left winger, the 18-year-old has scored one and assisted three in his first four matches of the campaign, and he has clearly impressed his manager, who gave him the nod at Old Trafford in such an important game. He appears to have already forged a connection with Aubameyang too, having assisted him twice this term.
Following their recent displays, Lacazette will need to remind Emery just how important he can be. Of course, such is his talent, he should get the chance to do so, but the former Sevilla boss will not be scared of bringing Saka into the side should he feel the France international is not giving him enough.