Predict Substitute Aubameyang On Arsenal's Front Line

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Twitter @ Aubameyang7)

JAKARTA - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sentenced to a three-game ban because he received a direct red card in Arsenal's match against Crystal Palace on Saturday, January 11 yesterday. Then, who will fill the post on the front lines of the Gunners in the next match?

Aubameyang was given a red card for tackling attacking midfielder Max Meyer. This means the striker will miss the Premier League games against Sheffield United and Chelsea as well as the FA Cup fourth round tie at Bournemouth.

In fact, the Gunners still have Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette. Ivory Coast summer signing Pepe has scored five goals this season. However, his playing minutes are still minimal. Meanwhile, French striker Lacazette has scored six goals but has not found his opponent's net since December 12.

What about Eddie Nketiah? Even though he lost his captain, Mikel Arteta would not give up on loaning Nketiah. Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday all said they were interested in using Nketiah's services.

"I've never before (thought about using Nketiah) and right now we have to think mid-term with Eddie," Arteta said as quoted by the Daily Mail, Monday, January 13.

"We have to respect its evolution and development, we don't have to make decisions based on just two or three games," he concluded.

Does this mean that Arteta will optimize Pepe and Lacazette on Arsenal's front lines? It is also interesting to see what the former assistant coach Pep Guardiola will do at Manchester City.