Mikel Arteta has ‘Arsenal captain in the making’ amid Aubameyang struggles

Arsenal have had a resurgence with three straight wins – but captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s struggles are ongoing.

The Gabonese striker has seen his place in the starting line-up come under threat after scoring just three goals in the Premier League this season.

The return of Gabriel Martinelli plus Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka finding form has led to questions over Aubameyang’s spot.

If he was to drop out of the side, that would mean handing the captain’s armband elsewhere.

But former Arsenal leader Martin Keown believes Mikel Arteta already has an “Arsenal captain in the making” in his squad in the former of Kieran Tierney.

After Tierney’s impressive display against West Brom on BT Sport, Keown said: "He has got everything in his game, it's about building around him. Perhaps an Arsenal captain in the making.

"Right from the beginning I could see there was a determination about him.

"He's just the right type that you need… his personality, character.

"He's a driving force and he's a throwback.

"In training, they have to tell him to calm down because he's tackling ferociously. I really like that attitude that he brings.”

Tierney opened the scoring for Arsenal with a fine individual goal.

“Look at the anger,” Keown told BT Sport of the goal celebration. “He wants to make something happen, that’s what I like.

“Your football career is a short period in your life and you want to make a mark.

“That young man has come down from Scotland and he does not want to waste any time.

“He is going to set the standard for the future for Arsenal.

“The end product now is coming into his game; it is improving all the time.

“It does not matter who is playing on that left side, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang or [Gabriel] Martinelli, as long as Tierney is playing you get that effectiveness down the left.”

Is Kieran Tierney a future Arsenal captain? Have your say here.

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