The 32-year-old former captain of Arsenal now has to self-isolate and is a major doubt for Gabon’s opening two matches.
Browsing: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The former Borussia Dortmund man has not featured for the club since being stripped of the captaincy for multiple disciplinary breaches earlier in December.
The Gabonese striker was reportedly late back to the club last week after travelling abroad and missed the win against Southampton at the weekend.
Southampton had the better of the opening exchanges on a rainy afternoon but it was Arsenal who took the lead in the 21st minute, breaking through the visitors’ high press before Bukayo Saka squared to Alexandre Lacazette, who fired home.
The result lifted Arsenal up to ninth place on the table, having secured 14 points from nine games thus far this campaign
Goals by Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka crowned a majestic first-half display by Arsenal who were sharper and hungrier than a listless Tottenham side.
The emphatic victory helped them to reach the third round of the 2021/2022 League Cup.
A below-par Gunners side missing captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette were deservedly beaten in the season’s opener.
The Arsenal winger was nicknamed “Petit Piment” by club skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in July 2020
The Gabon international, starting his first game after returning from a bout of malaria, struck after 66 minutes – the fifth successive game in which he has scored against the Magpies – to cement the Gunners’ 17th win in 18 outings against the Tyneside club.
Erik Lamela’s sensational Rabona goal put Jose Mourinho’s Spurs in front, but Martin Odegaard levelled before Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty secured three points, with Lamela also sent off in the closing stages.
For 38 minutes it seemed the only question was how many Arsenal might score as they poured forward following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s sixth-minute opener, with Mikel Arteta’s side picking up where they left off in last week’s 3-1 win at Leicester.
Leicester are currently third in the Premier League table, level on points with second-placed Manchester United, while Arsenal sit down in 11th spot, 11 points behind fourth-placed West Ham United.
The Gunners were just three minutes away from crashing out on away goals – despite both legs being played at neutral venues.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal will face a tough match against Benfica with the first leg ending in a draw.
Arsenal were 3-0 up at half-time for the first time in the Premier League since February 2018 as Leeds crumbled, and it was Aubameyang, who has now scored more goals in his last four Premier League appearances than he had in his previous 16, benefiting most.
Seven places and 10 points separate the two sides in the table, but it is ninth-placed Arsenal who go into the game off the back of a victory while second-placed Manchester United were left reeling by defeat to Sheffield United last time out.
The Gunners were facing an unlikely battle for survival less than a month ago, but 13 points from a possible 15 have lifted Mikel Arteta’s men into 10th and within seven points of the top four.
Arsenal were especially poor in the first half, not registering a single shot on target, but the returning skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should have scored early in the second half from close range, with Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez making a brilliant save with his knee.
Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to win the FA Cup the last time they faced Chelsea in August, but less than five months on the Spaniard was under intense pressure after a run of one win in 10 league games.