Arsenal boss Arteta: Fans criticism of Aubameyang no real surprise | OneFootball

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta isn't surprised over the current criticism of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

After signing a new contract and scoring against Fulham on the opening day of the season, Aubameyang then proceeded to go on a barren run.

The forward had failed to score in four appearances before he found the net on Thursday night against Rapid Vienna to give Arsenal a 2-1 win to kick off their Europa League campaign.

Asked if he was surprised by criticism aimed at his captain, Arteta replied: “No, because expectations for him are that he has to score a goal every game. So this comes with the nature of the big player that he is, what he has done in the past.

“People expect that from him in the future. We are here to help him with that, and we will support him when difficult times come around him.

“He needs to get in more goalscoring opportunities, he needs to get the ball more around the box, in order to do what he is able to do.

“Thursday [against Vienna] was a different game to some of the other games we have played against some of the big teams we have played this season.

“If you look at our fixtures, we have already played five games out of seven against top, top opposition.

“It is the same for him or [Sergio] Aguero, who didn't have a shot on target as well on the weekend [for Manchester City against Arsenal]. It is not an isolation of just our player.

“But Thursday it was promising, I said to him before the game, go out and win us the game, and he did it."