Alexandre Lacazette has backed Nicolas Pepe to keep up his impressive recent form for Arsenal, despite critics claiming he should be dropped.
The Ivory Coast winger has notched a goal and three assists in his last two Premier League games for the Gunners, after starting in both victories against Newcastle and Everton.
But despite his recent improvement, former Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas believes that Mikel Arteta should drop the former Lille winger for Gabriel Martinelli when the Gunners face Olympiacos in the second-leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie.
"I do not think this is a certain win [for Arsenal]," Nicholas told Sky Sports .
"Mikel Arteta will sit and read into the fact that they let in two against Everton. Bernd Leno gets Arsenal out of a lot of holes but he did slip up for the second goal.
"Joe Willock and Alexandre Lacazette will come in I think. You have to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in for his goals.
"Will Nicolas Pepe get another run? Probably. Does he deserve it? Probably not. I would probably look at Gabriel Martinelli."
But when asked about Pepe ahead of the Olympiacos game, Lacazette was adamant that Arsenal supporters will continue to see the best of the Ivorian, now that he has fully settled at the club.
“He just came in the league but he knows he needs time to adapt," Lacazette told reporters ahead of the game.
"Now I think he’s feeling better on the pitch which is good.”
