"He’s stamped his authority on this squad" - Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta for Aubameyang decision

Former Premier League players Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor have lauded Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his handling of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabonese striker was stripped of the club's captaincy and frozen from the first team due to disciplinary breaches. He was then sold to Barcelona on a free transfer in January.

Speaking about the same on talkSPORT, McCoist said:

“Everybody was talking about the Aubameyang situation, saying ‘you’ve got to get him back in the team’ and ‘do this with him’; it looks like he’s done completely the correct thing with him. It showed some steel.”

Agbonlahor added:

“You look at the Aubameyang situation, and all the players are going to be frightened to step out of line, in a good way. He’s stamped his authority on this squad of players."

He continued:

“If anyone tries to step out of line, Arteta will be like ‘you’ve seen what happened to Aubameyang, I’ll do the same with you’. He’s made an example out of Aubameyang to make himself a stronger manager. I think it’s worked, to be honest.”

Since joining Barcelona, Aubameyang has been in good form, scoring six goals in nine games across competitions. Manager Xavi Hernandez has lauded the striker for being a great fit in the team, hailing him as a 'gift from the skies'.

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Arsenal, meanwhile, are on a great run of form their own, winning their last five league games to remain in fourth place in the league table. They lead fifth-placed Manchester United by a point but have three games in hand.

Arsenal hope to keep their momentum going against Liverpool

The Gunners welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Wednesday. It could be a pivotal clash in both the title race and the scrap for the top 4.

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The Reds will go within a point of leaders Manchester City if they win. The Gunners, meanwhile, will strengthen their grip on fourth spot if they beat Jurgen Klopp's men.

Liverpool and Arsenal have clashed thrice this season. In their first game at Anfield in November, the Reds hammered the Gunners 4-0 in the Premier League. In their next two meetings in the EFL Cup semi-finals, the Reds emerged 2-0 winners on aggregate.

The Gunners will hope to keep alive their top-four bid by beating the high-flying Reds on Wednesday.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 3 years. He boasts a total experience of over 6 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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Edited by Bhargav