Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace as the Gunners continued their rise in the Premier League standings as they beat Newcastle United 3-0 in a Premier League match on Monday. Aubameyang struck twice while Bukayo Saka scored once with Arsenal now just seven points behind from the top-four.
After a goalless first half, Aubameyang fired the hosts into the lead in the 50th minute before Saka doubled it when the clock struck the hour-mark. 13 minutes before the full-time, Aubameyang put the game to bed but two minutes later was substituted because he needed a toilet break.
The 31-year-old’s hat-trick hopes thus ended because of ‘stomach issue’ as Arsenal manager Mike Arteta confirmed after the match. “Yeah, he (Aubameyang) had to go in so we had to change it,” Arteta said.
He was full of praise how the Gabonese international performed although admitting he missed a couple of chances in the first half. “I thought (Aubameyang) had two or three really big chances in the first half which he didn’t score. But those goals today will give him good confidence so that’s good for the team. That’s what he has done through his career, always kept going and scored big goals when he needed them and that’s what he’s done for us tonight,” he said.
Arteta was happy with the way Arsenal have progressed less than a month after they were battling for survival. “I’m really pleased. Collectively and individually it was really strong. Overall the team looked confident, solid and very clear about what we had to do. I’m very happy with the clean sheet and the goals,” he said.
Arteta also confirmed Mesut Ozil is in Turkey for his impending move to Fenerbahce and the club will make an official announcement once the deal is sealed. “He’s in Turkey now. He is going through the medical and there is some paperwork to do. When the deal is done we will make an announcement. We are always sorry to see a player of that quality leave the club,” he said.