Fabio Cannavaro thinks Arsenal have a ‘terrific’ player in their ranks, but rival’s is better

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Italy Icon Fabio Cannavaro has told The Sun that he would not have feared facing Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at his peak, despite the Gabon striker’s excellence.

Aubameyang has scored seven goals and provided two assists in all competitions so far this term in 11 games. Netting four in 10 Premier League outings after an EFL Cup hat-trick.

Arsenal are yet to lose a fixture in which Aubameyang has scored this season with four wins and a draw. Including beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in September’s north London derby.

The 32-year-old failed to score in the Gunners’ meetings with Leicester City and Aston Villa before the international break. But found his shooting boots to net for Gabon against Libya.

Mikel Arteta will hope Aubameyang sitting out Gabon’s 2-1 loss to Egypt sees the striker is fully fit for Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool on Saturday, with a chance to overtake the Reds.

Although he is yet to fire home during a Premier League match against Liverpool after six meetings, winning just one. And Cannavaro, despite his praise for Aubameyang, does not even consider the Arsenal striker the best centre-forward in north London.

“[Heung-Min] Son and [Harry] Kane are very, very strong. The [South] Korean is the one who impressed me the most,” Cannavaro said.

“Aubameyang is also a terrific player, like [Cristiano] Ronaldo. But I wouldn’t have feared them. Against prime Cannavaro, it would have been tough for anyone.”

Can Aubameyang prove Cannavaro wrong when Arsenal visit Liverpool?

Arteta will hope Aubameyang can prove Cannavaro wrong when Arsenal visit Liverpool on Saturday evening. He has only scored twice in 11 clashes with the Reds in all competitions, with one in the 2020 Community Shield and a Europa League goal for Borussia Dortmund.

The Gunners’ £56m signing from BVB in January 2018 has a much stronger record against Tottenham, though. Netting eight in 12 meetings, including four in eight with Arsenal.

Arsenal will have a much stronger chance of beating Liverpool and moving above the Reds into fourth in the Premier League standings if Aubameyang adds to his record on Saturday.