London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he will turn the page on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s breach of discipline after the Gunners captain was dropped for Sunday’s 2-1 north London derby win over Tottenham.
Aubameyang was left on the bench for the entire match as Arteta’s men beat their local rivals for the first time in three years.
The Spaniard would not disclose the nature of the breach, but reports said Aubameyang had arrived late for the team’s pre-match preparations.
“We have a way of living together, we have to respect each other,” said Arteta when quizzed why he had taken such drastic action.
“But he is an incredible guy, he is our captain and we move forward.
“We have lots going on in our lives and people finding it hard with the restrictions. I will never tell anything that happens in the dressing room.”
After a slow start to the season, Aubameyang has scored six goals in his last seven games to keep Arsenal in contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League and progress to the last 16 of the Europa League.
Alexandre Lacazette stepped up in the absence of the Gabon international as the French striker took the captain’s armband and responsibility from the penalty spot to score the winner at the Emirates, after Martin Odegaard’s deflected effort had cancelled out Erik Lamela’s sensational Rabona strike to open the scoring for Spurs.
