Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped for disciplinary reasons for the clash with Southampton.

Alexandre Lacazette captained an unchanged side, with Aubameyang not even among the substitutes as Emile Smith Rowe — still short of full fitness — returned on the bench.

In a pre-match interview shared on the club's Twitter feed, manager Mikel Arteta said of Aubameyang's absence: "Unfortunately (it is) due to a disciplinary breach. We've been very consistent, no negotiables, and he's not involved today."

Asked if it could be a longer-term ban, he added: “It starts today. It’s not an easy situation, a situation we want, to have our club captain in that situation.”