Paul Merson told Sky Sports that Mikel Arteta has made the ‘biggest masterstroke’ of his managerial career at Arsenal so far.
The outspoken TV pundit was making reference to Arteta dropping Aubameyang for Arsenal’s win in the North London derby on Sunday.
Given that Aubameyang is one of Arsenal’s key players, he was expected to start, but instead, he was left on the bench for disciplinary reasons.
Ex-Gunners man Merson hailed the decision Arteta made in dropping his ‘biggest star’ and sending out a message to the youngsters.
“I think it’s probably the biggest masterstroke of being a manager,” said Merson. “And he is a new manager in the game. That is a massive, massive thing what he has done.
“I think it’s the biggest thing he has done in his managerial career so far. What you have to look at when he disciplined the biggest star of the club is that he thought of the future of the club. And I think fair play to Arteta.
“He has to look around at people like Smith Rowe, who is going to be the future and Saka. He’s got to send a message to them kids that whatever he has done, it wasn’t right.
“If he doesn’t do what he did then them kids get cross messages. Then they think they cannot do that. I think it was brilliant management.”
In the end, it’s a move that paid off because Arsenal went on to win and Alexandre Lacazette scored what turned out to be the winning goal.
Plus, it now leaves Aubameyang fresh for their Europa League second-leg clash against Olympiacos on Thursday.
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