Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City: 3 talking points as Gunners fail to end City’s streak

3. Why leave out Lacazette?

Arsenal play Benfica in their second leg round of 32 Europa League tie on Thursday, which is why people say that Arteta rested Alexandre Lacazette, but when you don’t get players into the box and rely on all your attackers cutting in from the wings, then as a team you can struggle.

Arteta played Aubameyang centrally where he likes to be played, but the striker likes to naturally drift out to the left, leaving a gaping hole whenever Arsenal are attacking and they lack players in the box.

As proved plenty of times under Unai Emery and also in games this season, playing Aubameyang on the left and Lacazette centrally as a number nine, gives Arsenal much more attacking options and you have a striker who likes to press defences as well as finding themselves in good positions in the box for wingers to feed in balls.

The two strikers, who have now played together in North London for just over three years,  are very used to linking up with each other and they bounce well off each other.

Aubameyang’s pace and Lacazette’s ability to press and hold up the ball is something Arsenal need to see more often in games, especially due to the lack of goal-scoring from Aubameyang this season.

It’s certainly hard when fixtures come in thick and fast and rotation is something that happens more often, but that’s when you have to think about bringing in players like Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah.

They have both proved they have the quality to play in the Premier League, but have been overshadowed by the more experienced strikers and not been given the game time.

What did you make of Arsenal’s performance?