‘Goal machine’ Alexandre Lacazette backed to end drought during Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s ban

Arsenal’s star striker will miss the next three fixtures following his red card against Crystal Palace

Alexandre Lacazette hasn't scored in the Premier League since early December (EPA)

It’s now been over a month since Alexandre Lacazette last scored for Arsenal. The type of goal drought which slowly and steadily eats away at any striker’s confidence. His almost telepathic understanding with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been integral to the club’s tactical transformation under Mikel Arteta, a bustling presence behind the striker, luring in then and shrugging off the opposition centre-halves, just as he did to create his partner’s first-half goal at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

But after Aubameyang received a straight red card for his reckless lunge on Max Meyer – an initial yellow overturned by VAR, which Arsenal may yet still attempt to reduce on appeal – it will fall on the Frenchman to fill the goalscoring void during the captain’s three-game suspension. And while Sokratis admitted Lacazette has been struggling, he insisted the forward continues to become a “better and better” player and remains a “goal machine”.

“[Of course,] Auba is a very important player for us,” he said. “He’s the captain of the team. But now is the time that the other players step up and show quality, the mentality and help the team and also manager to do his work.

“Yes, [Lacazette is struggling a bit], but it is very difficult of course because [against Palace] he was against two players every time and, when you play the ball to him, it’s very difficult to do the first control and the second because all the other defenders are so strong.”

Lacazette has scored just five league goals this season compared to Aubameyang’s 14, who will now miss the club’s upcoming fixtures against Sheffield United, Chelsea and Bournemouth. Aubameyang will likely be replaced by either teenager Gabriel Martinelli or Reiss Nelson, who is yet to score his first Premier League goal, on the left-hand side of Arteta’s attacking trio, only placing more emphasis on Lacazette drawing a line under his frustration.

However, Sokratis brushed off any concerns over whether the 28-year-old will rise to the as the club slipped yet more ground on the top four after Jordan Ayew’s equaliser.

“He’s a very good player,” he said. “In some games, from the outside, you can’t see what he can do. Or maybe he is a little bit struggling. But we have to see also how is the game and which guy he has behind him. I think he is a very good player. We are with him every time, he is with us and we will show altogether in the future a lot of things.