Arsenal have confirmed vital strike duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have tested positive for Covid-19.
The pair missed last Friday’s season curtain-raiser at Brentford – a game they eventually lost 2-0 – under mysterious circumstances as the club failed to disclose the reasons behind their absence.
Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday how the game was just hours away from being called off after the entire travelling Arsenal party were forced to take emergency Covid tests on the day of the game.
And we can now verify that the unscheduled round of testing was due to the positive tests of four Gunners players: Aubameyang, Lacazette, Willian and Alex Runarsson in the lead up to the game.
Sportsmail understands that staff were also asked to take additional tests on Saturday, an assigned day off.
Captain Aubameyang – whose wife Alysha posted pictures on social media of a family birthday party just days before the striker’s positive test – has now recorded a negative result and will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s clash against Chelsea.
Such parties are permitted under the Government’s new relaxed Covid guidelines.
Striker Lacazette and reserve goalkeeper Runarsson are still recovering and won’t be available for the visit of the European champions but Willian is being assessed ahead of the clash against his former club.
Top flight clubs are undergoing bi-weekly testing but there was enough concern over Arsenal’s visit to newly promoted Brentford that Gunners players, coaching team and other associated staff were told to undergo tests on the day of the game to ensure the clash at Brentford went ahead.
