Here are your Arsenal evening headlines for Tuesday, February 9.
Benfica fixture location confirmed
The first-leg of Arsenal's Europa League round-of-32 clash with Portuguese giants Benfica will take place in Rome, football.london understands.
The two sides are set to go toe-to-toe in their two-legged affair later this month, with the first-leg penciled in for February 18.
Because of the tighter coronavirus rules that have been brought in by the UK government, Arsenal have been working with the government and UEFA to try and reach a solution. Now that one has been reached, the contest is poised to be staged in the Italian capital.
Under rule K.1.8 of the Europa League rulebook, it states "the Uefa administration … has the right to assign an alternative venue for any particular match or even to decide that either or both legs of the relevant round to be rescheduled and/or played in a neutral country (within the territory of a Uefa member association) and/or organised as a single leg."
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Arteta told to hand start to Aubameyang
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta must restore striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the starting line-up for Sunday's Premier League clash with Leeds United.
That is according to former Tottenham Hotspur striker Garth Crooks, who has insisted the Spaniard made a costly error by deciding to start him on the bench for Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Aubameyang has not started any of the Gunners' last four Premier League matches after being called away on family business last month. He started on the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers last Tuesday before having to take up the same role against Villa.
But with the Gunners struggling for goals, Crooks believes Aubameyang cannot afford to be left on the bench for the foreseeable future, starting against Leeds.
Crooks said: “Aston Villa were run ragged by West Ham in midweek but recovered well against an Arsenal side who lacked cutting edge.
“I know Nicolas Pepe scored against Wolves last week but can Arsenal really afford to leave someone of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s class on the bench?
“I don’t think so. Having got his team back on track with some decent results, Mikel Arteta’s meddling again.”
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Midfielder shuts down Gunners transfer links
Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan has poured cold water on reports linking him with a move to Arsenal.
Ahead of the January transfer window, reports claimed that the Spaniard was an option that the Gunners were looking at in an attempt to solve their attacking-midfield troubles.
However, despite some murmurs still claiming Arsenal are keen, Jordan has insisted he is committed to staying in Spain.
“I do not see myself outside of Sevilla, at all,” Jordan told El Desmarque.
“And it is reality. The second year in Eibar I did see certain reasons to go away, but now I am in a spectacular club, with ambition, with demand and that is what my body asks for.
“It is the ideal place to keep improving and do great things club. I am delighted to be here and my mind is here.”
