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The 2020-21 Premier League season has seen some extremely unusual events, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not being at the top of Arsenal's scoring charts is one of them.
The Gabonese striker had a tough start to the season, battling injuries and personal problems, which resulted in his dip in form. However, he was back to his best when Arsenal took on Leeds United on Sunday.
Aubayemang was unplayable and scored a sublime hat-trick to power the Gunners to a huge 4-2 victory over Marcelo Bielsa’s side. It was the striker's first-ever hat-trick in the Premier League and he did it in style.
With Arsenal struggling in recent weeks, it was exactly the kind of performance they needed from their captain. When Aubameyang is on song, he’s very hard to stop and this could be the beginning of a belated goal-scoring run for the forward.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back on form at the right time for Arsenal
Despite his struggles this season, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains Arsenal’s most influential player. The club invested a large amount into renewing his contract, because they know what the former Borussia Dortmund man offers.
While he hasn’t really been himself this season, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's performance against Leeds was a timely reminder of what he brings to the table. Class indeed is permanent and Arsenal's main man exuded plenty of it.
"I am delighted for him [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang], he deserved it,” Mikel Arteta lauded, as quoted by Goal. “We know that's a big part of our future success is related to Auba being at his best and scoring as many goals as possible. If he is in that type of form, we are going to be closer to winning football matches, that is clear.
"We cannot just rely on him, but he is a big piece of our puzzle. You could see that today that when he is firing he is a difficult player to play against," said the Arsenal manager.
Aubameyang has returned to form at the right time, as the Gunners aim to finish the season strongly as well as win the Europa League.
Aubameyang key to Arsenal’s European hopes
The Gunners may currently be out of the Premier League title race but there’s still a lot to play for. Finishing in the top four will also be a tough ask, but Arsenal can still secure a European place.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in form, they can even win the Europa League. The Gabon international played a key role in Arsenal’s success last season and they’ll need him to be at his best if they are to do it again.
He’s the kind of player that guarantees goals and, even at 31, very few strikers in the world boast his quality and verve. Together with Arsenal's rising young talents, Aubameyang will be key to the Gunners’ European hopes.
Arsenal are currently lacking in many areas, but the striking department is not one of them. In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, they have a world-class forward who will improve any side in Europe. The star striker's return to form is the best news Arsenal fans could have asked for.
