Alexandre Lacazette believes his strike partnership with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can provide the goals Arsenal need to be successful.
Lacazette and Aubameyang both scored in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League win at Cardiff to secure successive victories for new Gunners boss Unai Emery.
It was only the fourth time the pair have linked up together since Aubameyang arrived from Borussia Dortmund in January.
But at least one of them has scored in those four games, contributing seven goals in all.
“It’s nice to play together because we compliment each other’s strengths,” Lacazette said after marking his first start of the season with an 81st-minute winner.
“He (Aubameyang) deserved to score because he has worked so hard since the start of the season.
“The Chelsea game was hard for him because he missed some chances, but it was nice to play well with him.
“The system was good, we worked on it all week. It was different, but good.”
Emery deployed Lacazette through the middle with Aubameyang supporting him from the left, the recalled Mesut Ozil on the right and Aaron Ramsey behind him.
The two strikers combined brilliantly for Aubameyang to arrow Arsenal into a 2-1 lead from 20 yards just after the hour mark.
But Arsenal had to rely on Lacazette’s late thunderbolt for only their second away league win of 2018 – and the first under Emery.
“It’s good for our confidence because this season we want to be better away,” Lacazette said.
“Hopefully it will be like this for the rest of the season.
“It’s important to win away so we can start games with the mindset like we have at home.”
Lacazette, who was signed for £46.5million from Lyon in 2017, had started the three previous games under Emery on the bench.
The lack of first-team opportunities had led to speculation that the 27-year-old France striker might be loaned out before the international window closed last week.
“I don’t know who said this stuff, but I am at one of the best clubs in London and I am happy at Arsenal,” Lacazette said.
“It’s always going to be hard to be in the first XI at a club like this, but I always keep fighting and working.
“I won’t play every week just because of one game.
“Every day I have to work and show the coach I work well and I deserve my place.”
