Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson says he is frustrated with how Arsenal captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang drifts in and out of games when he plays on the left-wing.

Mikel Arteta has invariably played the 31-year-old out wide since becoming manager but Merson feels that to get the club’s talisman more involved in the game, he needs to be playing as a central striker:

“I find Aubameyang, I find him frustrating. He plays out on the wing and if it isn’t going well I think he needs to be inside, he needs to be down the middle and involved in the game. He can drift out of the game and then all of a sudden he’ll pop up and score a great goal and be on the end of it or something. But I need him in the game more, I need Aubameyang, he’s my talisman and too many times it’s too easy for a team to mark him out of the game.”

Arteta has already admitted that he is considering making that exact positional switch and it will be interesting to see whether Aubameyang takes up a central role when the Gunners face Manchester United at Old Trafford this evening.

It must be pointed out that Aubameyang’s goalscoring record from the left wing is pretty good but his lack of goals in recent weeks has put his position in the team under the microscope.

The Gabonese international would certainly have more chances to shoot if he plays centrally and, with the player not in the greatest of form currently, making the switch could get the best out of him.