ARSENAL captain Alexandre Lacazette is NOT in Mikel Arteta’s matchday squad to face Southampton this afternoon.
The striker has been missing from training this week, with the club today confirming he has tested positive for Covid-19.
Alexandre Lacazette has been left out of Arsenal’s matchday squad to face Southampton Credit: Reuters Eddie Nketiah starts up front in his absence.
Playmaker Martin Odegaard has been handed the armband with the usual skipper out of action.
Lacazette played 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton last week, but there has been no clarity from the club on the reason for his absence from training until today.
Arteta was quizzed on Lacazette’s availability in his pre-match press conference on Friday, but remained tight-lipped.
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Gleison Bremer updates, Arteta backs Xhaka The Spaniard said: “We will see if he’s available.”
When pressed further on whether he would play, he added: “It’s a good possibility that that’s the case.”
Lacazette though will not feature at St. Mary’s this afternoon following his positive Covid test, as the task of leading the line falls to 22-year-old Nketiah.
Elsewhere in the starting side Nuno Tavares returns at left-back, with Granit Xhaka moved back into midfield alongside Albert Sambi-Lokonga.
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That allows Odegaard to push forward into his usual No10 role at the expense of Emile Smith Rowe.
Other than those two changes it’s the same Arsenal team that started last week’s defeat to Brighton.
Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all out on the sidelines in what is a rapidly depleting Arsenal squad.
The Gunners allowed six players to leave in January without bringing in any replacements, with the decision seemingly coming back to haunt Arteta and Co.
Arsenal head into the clash against the Saints following two back-to-back losses, and three defeats in their last four.
Three points today are a must in order to keep hopes of qualifying for the Champions League alive.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
