Here are your Arsenal evening headlines for Thursday, December 17.
Shearer sends Arteta sack message
Alan Shearer has sent a strong message to the Arsenal board as Mikel Arteta continues to come under increasing pressure.
The Gunners stemmed the losing tide against Southampton on Wednesday night, but they have won just one league match since the international break in October.
Arteta's job is under fire, but Shearer believes that the club should wholeheartedly back the Spaniard. "Arsenal were very impressive at the end of last season," Shearer told Coral bookmakers.
"The way they won the FA Cup, beating Manchester City and Chelsea, it all looked as though it was on the right track with a team that was organised and that wanted to play for the manager."
In relation to the growing pressure on Arteta, Shearer added: "The board need to stay calm and give him time to turn it around with support in the transfer market both in January and next summer.
"The issues Arsenal have had for the last few years now will not change in six or twelve months, it will take a while to get them back to where they want to be and they need to back Arteta to do that."
Saka proves Ferdinand right
When Bukayo Saka signed his new contract in the summer, Rio Ferdinand praised the teenager's attitude and character.
"I think Arsenal need people with the right attitude, right characters and people that want to be at the club," he told BT Sport. "Looking at his statement, he buys into the philosophy, and he wants to move forward with the club.
"I would build the club around him, around players like Willock. The badge means something to these boys. They need to move forward together."
The youngster proved Ferdinand right on Wednesday. When Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the equaliser, Arsenal's first open-play goal 798 Premier League minutes, the entire team celebrated.
Saka, though, ran into the goal and picked up the ball, eager to place it on the centre-circle so that Arsenal could chase a winner. It showed the different mentality that Ferdinand praised all those months ago.
What Aubameyang did after scoring
Aubameyang's first open-play goal since the opening day of the season was a relief for him, his teammates, and his manager. And afterwards, Arsenal fans noticed something especially significant.
After scoring a monumental goal, Aubameyang was mobbed by his teammates. But instead of wildly celebrating with them, the striker could be seen pushing them away, eager not to over-celebrate a long-awaited goal.
On Twitter, Arsenal fans could not help but draw on Toni Kroos' previous criticism of Aubameyang's elaborate celebrations.
"Aubameyang finally scores and he's forgotten how to celebrate," one fan said.
Another added: "Aubameyang didn't even celebrate. Kroos broke him."
