GUNNER MISS OUT
Arsenal could be without Aubameyang again for Man Utd clash as striker rushes home to be with sick mum
ARSENAL will not put any pressure on Pierre Emerick Aubameyang to rush back to duty in time to face Manchester United on Sunday.
The striker has missed the last two matches for 'personal reasons' which Aubameyang revealed was to see to his mother who has been seriously ill.
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The Gunners captain, 31, says she is thankfully on the mend but Arsenal are relaxed about whether he will be available or not for the big clash with United on Sunday.
SunSport understands that the view of boss Mikel Arteta and the club is that health is more important than missing one game, especially after the events of the past year.
It is unclear if any quarantine periods need to be observed to conform with Covid-19 guidelines.
In a social media post Aubameyang said: "Thank you so much for all the messages and calls over the last few days.
"My mother is going through some health issues and I had to be there for her.
"She's already much better now and I will be back home tonight. I'm more than grateful for the doctors and nurses helping her get through this."
Elsewhere, Arsenal will have to play their Europa League ties with Benfica on neutral territory or see their entire squad locked away in quarantine for ten days.
The Gunners are due to fly to Lisbon for their last-32 clash, with the return leg at the Emirates the following week.
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But the government announced strict new regulations are in force for arrivals from ‘Red List’ countries which see everyone bussed directly from an airport to a hotel for isolation against new mutations of Covid-19.
Portugal is one of the countries on the red list, meaning if Arsenal travelled to Lisbon the group would be quarantined immediately on their return.
And SunSport has confirmed there is NO elite sport exemption to sidestep the rules – and it is unlikely that situation will change any time soon.
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