Mikel Arteta claims he is not ‘dictatorial’ amid Aubameyang stand-off

Aubameyang hasn't featured in the last two match day squads for Arsenal due to disciplinary reasons

Mikel Arteta has insisted that he doesn't run Arsenal like a dictator and that he would rather leave the club than change the way he manages his squad. The Arsenal boss made the decision to drop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from his last two match day squads after the striker returned late from a trip and was later revoked of his role as club captain. It's sparked fresh doubts over the future of the Gabon international and with the January transfer window around the corner, whether he could be moved on from the Emirates Stadium, and Arteta has stated that all he wants from his players is 'respect and commitment'. "I don’t establish my authority by being dictatorial or ruthless," he told the MailOnline. "I just ask for respect and commitment. At this level, if I don’t get that I pack my bags and go somewhere else because that is the minimum I can ask for. "I am sorry but I am going to expect that from everybody who works for the club, first of all myself. "The day I don’t do that, I walk through that door and go and do something else. It is as clear as that." It isn't the first time Arteta has taken action against players who have broken rules or questioned his authority. Last January, experienced players Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were all moved on as they didn't fit into the Spaniard's philosophy and the Gunners boss said that in order to be successful, players must show they care. [caption id="attachment_308237" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Mikel Arteta and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Arsenal's game against Watford. (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption] He said: "To be successful you have to be passionate about something and if you want to represent a club of this size, with its history, that is the minimum standard you have to bring.

"I am not going to ask anybody to put the ball into the top corner every time they hit it, but I will ask them to do the right things every single day for this club. That is for sure."

Arsenal will be looking to continue their recent run of form and extend the gap to fifth place on Boxing Day when they travel to Norfolk to face relegation-threatened Norwich City. Related links:

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