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NO AUBA FOR CITY CLASH

Gabonese striker Pierre-EmerickAubameyang won't be in the Arsenal squad for the New Year's Day clash with Manchester City in the Premier League. Hosts Arsenal take on holders Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium and Pierre-EmerickAubameyang would be a major absentee for the game. The ex-AC Milan and Saint Etienne striker won't be available for the game as he has decided to join the Gabon squad early ahead of the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in five cities across Cameroon.

Pierre-EmerickAubameyang has made the decision to join Gabon for the AFCON tournament earlier than expected after he was frozen out of the Arsenal squad over the last three weeks.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has dropped Aubameyang from his squad for the past five games in all competitions after a disciplinary breach. In addition to being taken out of the Arsenal squad for the last five games in the Premier League and CarabaoCup, Aubameyang was also stripped of the Arsenal captaincy. Strike partner and friend Alexandre Lacazette has assumed the captaincy role since the decision was made. Also, Arsenal have won all their five games in all competitions including four games in the league since Auba was taken out of the team.

In the first game without Auba in the team, Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Magalhaes scored the goals as Arsenal beat Southampton 3-0 at home in the Premier League. For the second game, Gabriel Martinelli and substitute Emile Smith-Rowe scored to give Arsenal a 2-0 home win over top-four rivals West Ham United in the London Derby. The 4-1 away win over Leeds United made it three wins in a row for the Gunners. The 5-1 home win over League One side Sunderland was the fourth win on the bounce in all competitions, while the 5-0 away win over Norwich City made it five victories in a row.