Gary Lineker has questioned why Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has not been given more playing time this season after his late heroics against Crystal Palace.
The Frenchman was on hand to fire home an injury time equaliser after Vicente Guaita could only parry a Ben White shot, leaving Patrick Vieira despairing on the touchline.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang had given the Gunners the lead early on but the strike was wiped out by Christian Benteke and Odsonne Edouard in the second half.
But Lacazette was the hero, coming off the bench to score with almost the last kick of the game to extend the Gunners' unbeaten run in the league to five games.
Lineker took to Twitter after the game to share his confusion as to why the 30-year-old had not played more often under Mikel Arteta.
"I’ve always rated Lacazette. Don’t understand why he doesn’t play more. Must be a reason, I guess, but I’ve not seen it," the former Tottenham striker wrote.
Lacazette has only appeared three times in the Premier League this season and is yet to start a match with his future looking increasingly murky.
His contract is set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season and there are currently no plans to renew the deal, with Lacazette eyeing a new challenge, according to The Mirror.
Back in July, journalist Ian McGarry told Reach PLC's Transfer Window podcast that the Gunners were desperate to sell him during the summer transfer window.
"Arsenal are desperately, desperately, and as we said aggressively, marketing some of their higher-paid players in order to put money back into the budget with regards to how the club moves forward," he said.
"Alexandre Lacazette is one of the players they are desperate to sell.
"Because his contract is so expensive, they would happily accept a lower fee in order to get him off the wage bill, and in doing so make room for younger players who Mikel Arteta has identified as the future of Arsenal, rather than the present or the past."
