23:Picture Credit- Twitter
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's hat-trick led Arsenal to a convincing 4-2 win over Leeds United in a Premier League clash on Sunday. While Aubameyang opened the scoring for his side in the 14th minute, he converted a penalty to score his second. Hector Bellerin scored the third goal for the Gunners before Aubameyang completed his hat-trick in the second-half. Pascal Struijk and substitute Helder Costa scored for Leeds from 4-0 down to give Arsenal a late scare.
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Picture Credit - Twitter[/caption]
It was an Aubameyang show
Aubameyang, who made his first start in almost a month, proved his value to the club with his brilliant performance. Since he was last named in the Starting XI, the Mikel Arteta-led side have gone out of the FA Cup and have only managed to take four points from four matches. The Gabon international looked at his best right from the word go on the field as he cut in from the left and found the bottom corner with a superb finish in the early minutes.
He was then denied a second goal moments later when Leeds defender Luke Ayling brilliantly blocked his shot on target. 19-year-old Bukayo Saka won a spot-kick minutes after VAR intervention overturned one in their favour and given the form Aubameyang was in, he needed no second invitation to score from the 12 yards- mark as he sent Meslier the wrong way. Bellerin then caught out the Frenchman at his near post score Arsenal's third.
The Gunners started their second-half from where they had left the first, with Aubameyang heading home Emile Smith Rowe's cross to net his second ever Arsenal hat-trick and his first since May 2019. Aubameyang thanked the club and fans for helping him through a "tough period." Notably, the 31-year-old had missed two matches at the end of January to attend to his ailing mother.
"Everyone was giving a lot of love to me, my mum and my family," the Arsenal skipper was quoted after the win. "I have to say thank you to everyone at the club, and the fans," he added. "The hat-trick means a lot to me. I'm a guy who always works hard. It's been a tough time for me," the forward said