Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has claimed the decision by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to bench Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the 2-1 Premier League defeat against Everton could be problematic.
The 32-year-old Gabon international was dropped to the bench as Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli led the attacking line but the Gunners could not take something from the game despite going into the lead courtesy of Martin Odegaard at Goodison Park.
After coming on in the 85th minute for Lacazette, the Gunners skipper, who has not scored for the team in his last six matches, missed a glorious chance to snatch a draw for the team after Demarai Gray had scored what turned out to be the winner.
Neville, who managed 400 games for Manchester United and scored five goals, believes something is brewing between Arteta and Aubameyang after the captain started on the bench and that the “relationship could turn sour.”
“I think there will be a problem with Aubameyang off the back of this game,” Neville said as quoted by SkySports.
“I don’t think he’ll like the idea of Eddie Nketiah coming on before him. I don’t think he’ll like the idea of being a substitute, full stop.
“There’s always that little bit of a bug there between Arteta and Aubameyang.
“I know he’s the captain but he leaves him out and it just feels like something that’s a little bit awkward, and it’s going to cause a problem.
“I suspect, if Arteta could probably get money for Aubameyang and he could get someone else, they probably would.
“And I bet if Aubameyang could move on he probably would as well because it could maybe turn a little sour.”
