BBC pundit Garth Crooks says Arsenal duo Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can form a formidable partnership following the Gunners win over Cardiff City on Sunday. 

The pair started a game alongside each other for the first time this season, and both were on the scoresheet in a 3-2 win for Unai Emery’s side at the Millennium Stadium.

Arsenal took the lead early on thanks to defender Shkodran Mustafi’s header, however were pegged level just before the break by Victor Camarasa’s first Cardiff goal.

Aubameyang restored the lead on the hour mark with a fine curling effort, before Cardiff again equalised courtesy of Danny Ward ten minutes later.

Lacazette crashed home the winner on 81 minutes, and Crooks believes that he and Aubameyang – who joined Arsenal in January from Borussia Dortmund – can go on to form a fearsome partnership if they continue playing together.

“The very suggestion Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can’t play together as a pair at Arsenal sends me apoplectic,” opened Crooks speaking in his ’team of the week’ column on BBC Sport.

“The fact of the matter is Arsene Wenger lacked the nerve to play the two up front on a regular basis, and if Unai Emery had started his first two games of the season with both men in his line-up he may have had different results.

“Managers deserve nothing (and often get nothing) when they sacrifice a striker with massive goalscoring credentials for midfield mediocrity. Thank goodness Emery has come to his senses and started Aubameyang and Lacazette against Cardiff. The lads clearly get on and enjoy playing alongside each other.

“Scoring goals is the most difficult thing to do in the game and if you’ve paid a fortune to get goalscorers in your club why on earth wouldn’t you play them?”