Paul Merson has said that Arsenal have improved defensively as a result of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's departure and poured praise on Gabriel Martinelli's impact at the Emirates.
Aubameyang was banished from the Arsenal first-team in December after returning late from a trip to France, leading Mikel Arteta to open disciplinary proceedings. He was made to train on his own until a move to Barcelona came to fruition the following month following the termination of his contract.
But since the Gabon international has been out of the picture, Arsenal's form has improved, with a place in next season's Champions League now a very real possibility. A youthful front three involving of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Martinelli, supporting Alexandre Lacazette, has been credited with much of that and Merson believes the defensive contributions of the trio should not be ignored.
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"Anyone will tell you that defending starts from the front," Merson said during Sky Sports pre-match coverage of Arsenal's meeting with Liverpool. "You look now and you have Martinelli, Saka and Lacazette all defend from the front and it is a lot harder [to play against them] now.
"I always used to think that Arsenal were one of the best teams with the ball, but one of the worst without it. And when you are like that, there are not many football matches that you are going to win and getting rid of Aubameyang has made a massive difference.
"Martinelli has come in and people will say he is not the same player as Aubameyang, but he is a team player and they look together and a proper team now."
Arsenal were made to pay around £7 million to cancel Aubameyang's contract and get him off their books during the January transfer window, despite not bringing in any new signings themselves.
If the Gunners were to make back into the top four, it would mark their first appearance in the Champions League since the 2016-17 campaign.
