Ornstein sheds light on Lacazette missing Arsenal loss vs Southampton

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David Ornstein has told The Athletic Football Podcast that he has spoken to people around Mikel Arteta and Alexandre Lacazette and heard nothing to suggest that there has been any sort of fall-out at Arsenal after the striker missed their last Premier League game.

Arteta confirmed ahead of the trip to Southampton that Lacazette had missed training. At the time, he suggested that there were private reasons for his absence.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, another defeat was played out on Saturday. And Arteta confirmed afterwards that Lacazette had tested positive for Covid-19.

It appears that there may have been speculation surrounding Lacazette’s absence. Obviously, he played no part in the wake of an interview in which he discussed his future. He noted that he is in talks with a number of clubs as his Arsenal contract runs down.

Ornstein has now shed further light on the situation. He claimed that he has been given no reason to believe that Lacazette was not testing positive. And he added that he had heard nothing about any sort of rift between Lacazette and Arteta.

“Let’s address Lacazette immediately. He missed the defeat to Southampton at the weekend with what Mikel Arteta called a covid positive test,” he told The Athletic Football Podcast.

“I’ve got no reason to doubt that or information to do so. I’ve seen some suggestions rumbling around. In his press conference before Southampton I think he referred to it as a private matter, which personal health presumably comes under that bracket.

“I’ve spoken to people around the situation to check out these rumours and nobody has come back to me to say that there has been a fall out with Lacazette or a disciplinary issue. [Just that] he was still testing positive for covid was all that I heard.”

Arsenal and Lacazette need each other in final weeks of the season

Even if there was a problem between Arteta and Lacazette, Arsenal cannot really afford to banish him for the remainder of his contract.

They do not have the depth up front. And Eddie Nketiah has not exactly proved to be prolific.

Lacazette has been poor for several weeks now. But no player in the Arsenal squad has more assists than the Frenchman.

Perhaps Gabriel Martinelli is one who deserves a chance before the campaign concludes. But it would be no surprise to see Lacazette in the fold again before the season does finish.