Arsenal legend Lee Dixon has warned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang that "no one [is] bigger than the group" after the forward was dropped to the bench for his side's 2-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday.
Manager Mikel Arteta revealed before the game that Aubameyang had been dropped because of a "disciplinary issue" and a report from the Athletic claims the 31-year-old reported late for the game.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Arteta said: "He was going to start the game but we had a disciplinary issue. We have drawn the line and we move on. He's on the bench.
"It's a decision we made after evaluating everything, what he's done and that's it."
Arsenal went on to win the game 2-1 thanks to goals from Martin Odegaard and Alexandre Lacazette, after an outrageous rabona strike from Erik Lamela gave Spurs the lead.
Aubameyang did not make it off the bench and Dixon believes Arteta made the right call in leaving his captain out of the starting line-up.
Taking to Twitter, Dixon wrote: "Arteta was right to drop Aub in my book. Regardless of the result.
"The integrity of the team and its values have to be maintained. No one [is] bigger than the group. It has to be that way IMO Arsenal".
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton also believes that Arteta had "no choice" but to drop Aubameyang to the bench.
Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Sutton said: "Timekeeping is important to Arteta.
"If Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turned up late — which is utterly remarkable for a captain to do on the day of the north London derby — then Arteta had no choice.
"What message would it send to the others if Arteta didn't follow up on his own code? We aren't privy to why he might have been late, but word has it this wasn't his first infringement of this kind.
"Aubameyang signed a lucrative new deal not long ago. The least a player can do in return is show some professionalism."
