Ian Wright has dismissed criticism of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as "rubbish" after the Arsenal star's two goals against Newcastle.
Aubameyang has been a reliable source of goals for Arsenal since his £56 million ($76m) move to Emirates Stadium from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.
The Gabon international has hit 78 goals in his first 129 outings for the Gunners, including two in their FA Cup final victory over Chelsea last season.
However, he hasn't quite been able to live up to his usual high standards in the first half of the 2020-21 campaign, with only five efforts recorded through 17 Premier League outings.
Arsenal have generally lacked a cutting edge in the final third this term as Mikel Arteta has struggled to deliver results while implementing a more disciplined, methodical style of play based on passing out from the back.
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They seemed to click into gear during a clash with Newcastle at the Emirates on Monday, though, with a trademark double from Aubameyang and a Bukayo Saka strike wrapping up a 3-0 victory .
It has been suggested that the Gunners talismanic centre-forward has taken his foot off the pedal since being handed a bumper new contract in September, but Wright insists the 31-year-old's dip in form was simply a direct consequence of poor service from midfield.
The Arsenal legend told Premier League Productions of Aubameyang's output after the win against the Magpies: "You look at the goals he scored today, those are the kind of chances you want to create for him.
"You’ve got someone like Thomas Partey, when he gets in a situation he’s looking to pass it forward.
"Aubameyang wants that situation, he wants that one-on-one situation. He hasn’t been having a lot of that in recent months.
"People have been talking about his form, signing his contract then clocking off, it’s rubbish, he just didn’t get chances, not chances like that [against Newcastle].
"We’ve seen him score chances like the second goal where he’s in the middle of the box because Arsenal created something, they haven’t been creating things.
"Now with Saka’s emergence, Emile Smith Rowe’s emergence, great play from Cedric [Soares], there’s always balls going into the box, chances being made, and he’ll come alive again."
