EFL Cup: Aubameyang out of City game, doubtful for Chelsea clash

EFL Cup: Aubameyang out of City game, doubtful for Chelsea clash

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been ruled out of Arsenal’s EFL Cup clash against Manchester City and is a doubt for the Boxing Day clash against London rivals Chelsea, according to his manager Mikel Arteta.

The Gabonese, who missed Arsenal’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Everton on Saturday with a calf problem, has endured a frustrating season.

“Auba is not fit for tomorrow, that’s for sure, he won’t be playing tomorrow,’ Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Monday morning.

“He is feeling much better. He was more positive yesterday [Sunday] than in the previous two days. He will have another scan in the next few days and we will see how quickly we can get him back in the team.

“But he knows how important he is for us, he feels the responsibility and he is trying his best to be fit as quick as possible.”

Aubameyang scored in Arsenal’s first two games of the 2020-21 campaign but has netted just two Premier League goals since and his loss of form has coincided with Arsenal’s struggles in the Premier League.

The Gunners have won just once in their last 10 games and are currently 15th in the table – ten points behind the top-four and just three places above the relegation zone.