Arsenal analysis: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes history as Alex Iwobi responds to transfer pressure

Arsenal have moved level on points with four place Chelsea after securing all three points at home to Cardiff.

After a goalless first-half in north London Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot after a foul on Sead Kolašinac.

Alexandre Lacazette doubled the lead before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing pulled one back for the visitors in injury time but there would be no equaliser.

James Olley was at the Emirates Stadium to provide analysis for Standard Sport.

In converting his 66th-minute penalty, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang became the fastest Arsenal player to reach 25 Premier League goals, requiring just 37 matches to do so.

It is testament to the remarkable form he has shown since the Gunners broke their club-record to sign him for £56million from Borussia Dortmund a year ago. Arsenal’s hopes of a top four finish rest in no small part on the 29-year-old maintaining this form until the end of the campaign, in tandem with Alexandre Lacazette, who added a second late on before Cardiff pulled one back in stoppage-time through Nathaniel Mendez-Liang.

Unai Emery named Mesut Ozil as one of his five captains at the start of the season and so it was to some extent no surprise he was given the captain’s armband upon his return to the starting line-up against Cardiff.

Ozil was given the chance at the top of a diamond and as a more orthodox number ten in a 4-2-3-1 for the second half. He produced some incisive moments and earned a good ovation upon his 76th-minute withdrawal for Aaron Ramsey – but it remains to be seen whether that was enough to retain his place for Sunday’s trip to Manchester City.

This was only Mohamed Elneny’s second Premier League start of the season. His first came against Burnley on 22 December, when he lasted just 59 minutes before being replaced by Lucas Torreira.

Here, he did not re-emerge for the second half, becoming the latest in Emery’s growing list of half-time substitutions after failing to get Arsenal firing from the base of a midfield diamond. The 26-year-old signed a new long-term contract with the club last March but has barely featured under Emery – there was little here to suggest he will see regular game-time in the matches to come.

The imminent arrival of Denis Suarez from Barcelona – perhaps to be followed by Ivan Perisic – puts Alex Iwobi’s place in the team in doubt but he responded in impressive fashion when replacing Elneny.

The 22-year-old delivered a fine pass for the move which led to the breakthrough, releasing Sead Kolasinac, who was brought down by Bruno Ecuele Manga. Iwobi almost doubled the Gunners’ lead moments later when forcing Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge into a fine one-handed save.

The width he provided was key to helping Arsenal secure victory.

Carl Jenkinson replaced Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour mark for his first Arsenal appearance in the Premier League since November 2016.

It was in some senses a remarkable sight given he was told he could leave in the summer and again this month before the situation was complicated by a serious injury to Hector Bellerin. However, Jenkinson’s involvement is likely to be fleeting with Ainsley Maitland-Niles rested altogether and Lichtsteiner firmly ahead of him in the pecking order.