LONDON, (Reuters) – Arsenal’s record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was compared to the club’s all-time great striker Thierry Henry after his double set the stage for his side’s pulsating 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Sunday.
The Gabonese, who signed from Borussia Dortmund in January for 56 million pounds ($71 million), put Arsenal ahead with a 10th minute penalty and in the second-half pulled them level with a dazzling strike after they had gone 2-1 behind.
Aubemayang’s performance, which made him the Premier League’s leading marksman for the season with 10 goals, prompted the highest of praise from his team mate Aaron Ramsey, who was reminded of Arsenal’s all-time record scorer Henry.“It was unbelievable but he does that in training all the time,” said Ramsey of the first-time strike that made it 2-2.
“He just eases the ball into the corners but with pace as well. It reminds me of Thierry Henry’s finishes,” Ramsey added on Arsenal’s official website.
“After the first goal we conceded, we had a moment where we were a bit down. At halftime we were confident. We spoke and we knew that we could do it in the second half, to come back,” Aubameyang himself noted.Soon after his game-changing equaliser, which had brought Arsenal back into the game after Eric Dier and Harry Kane, with a penalty, had put Spurs 2-1 up, substitute Alexandre Lacazette lashed in a third for the Gunners from just outside the area.
Lucas Torreira then made it 4-2 when he dashed in unmarked and fired the ball into the far corner.
“We did it. Then we had the fans behind us and we had power, we felt strong… We don’t give up and that’s the mentality,” Aubameyang said.
Arsenal’s three goals after the break also maintained their seemingly schizophrenic record in the league this season, which has seen them score three times as many goals in the second halves of matches as they have in the first.
“We can always see that in the second half we play very well,” Aubameyang said.
