The Gabon forward was a sidelined figure as the Gunners were thrashed on Saturday, conceding four times in the first half
Arsenal's leading goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had just 13 touches as the Gunners were thrashed 5-1 by Liverpool on Saturday.
The Gabon international has scored 13 Premier League goals in 20 appearances this season but he cut a lonely figure as Unai Emery's men were pulled apart at Anfield.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles gave the visitors the lead after just 11 minutes but Liverpool's response was swift and decisive, Roberto Firmino scoring two goals in three minutes before Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah scored to make it 4-1 at half-time.
Firmino scored again from the penalty spot in the second half to put the game well out of Arsenal's reach, while the normally lethal Aubameyang was left to reflect on a fruitless evening before being taken off 19 minutes from the end.
Replaced by Alexandre Lacazette late on, Aubameyang cut the same dejected figure as he trudged off the field as he had done during his 71-minute outing on Merseyside.
That six of the 29-year-old's touches came via kick-offs, five following each of Liverpool's goals and one at the start of the second half, highlights his struggles on the day.
Having been one of the more effervescent members of Emery's side during the first half of the Spaniard's maiden campaign in charge, the ex-Borussia Dortmund man retreated into the shadows.
The performance came amid a sobering afternoon for the Gunners, who shipped four goals in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier league game for the fourth time.
Though Emery has made significant progress since succeeding Arsene Wenger in the summer, Arsenal are now 20 games without an away win against their fellow "big six" sides, losing 10 of their last 12 visits.
But despite suffering the heaviest defeat of his short tenure, Emery says his team can take positives from the experience against Liverpool.
"Bad experience, bad experience but to learn," he added. "The second half we need to stand up and keep our position in the game. The two last goal, the two penalties, I think is a lot for us.
"I think it's going to help the referees to take better decision and we only can think now about the match on Tuesday, not the difference between Liverpool and us.
"It's not like today the result, maybe we can do one balance and mix between our goal. We have a lot of work to do. Defensively also we know we need to get better."
mulije
238
Breaking news: Unai Emery has joined the sack race....😂😂😅😆
wogwizard
215
my opinion is that emry hate some players like lacaset ozil eleny jekinson. my proposed xi is. Leno. kolasinac, kocienly, Mustafi, jenkinson, iwobi, Shaka, toriera, ozil abumiyang, lacaset
Nesaiknruy_Legend
72
Imagine a game where creativity is Key and you leave Ozil at home 😂😂
Dinbcrstu
70
Auba statistic showing 13 touches tells a tale in itself and its not new. Our midfield is just not creative enough to help our forwards. We are definitely missing the Ozil of the past. Plus our piece meal defenders puts too much load on the midfielders. Quality is definitely an issue at the back. Yet we mostly read that we are trying to recruit in the middle or out wide. Very disappointed in our play today and with our coach.
kacabdntz
60
pls My people, do not blame any player it is not their fault, is coach fault not players because he no dat he has no defense why putting ozil, lacazet, jerkins, kolsheny in the benche, when u no u don't have defense u keep them outside, u have to make use of a good player, come to the mildifield aspect they are not creative enough arsenal need a strong mildifielder and strong defense not this two papar is using, is using them to useless arsenal shirt, pls Emery stop weighting arsenal on this people's Head use the money to buy serious players or if u can not, then quite the job pls don't kill our carrier, pls