Alexandre Lacazette has opened up on the pain of going nine games without a goal and says the barren run is something he does not want to experience again.
The Arsenal striker finally ended his two-month long drought during Sunday’s 4-0 drubbing of Newcastle, finishing off Nicolas Pepe’s cross just minutes after coming off the bench to replace Eddie Nketiah.
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The goal, Lacazette’s seventh of the season, was his first since he netted against Standard Liege on December 12 and it sparked huge celebrations - with the frontman's joy of finally finding the net matched by his ecstatic team-mates.
And the France international admits it was just a huge relief to get back on the scoresheet again.
“I am really, really happy because I waited for this moment for a long time,” he said. “As well, I was touched because of the way all my team-mates reacted when I scored that goal.
“It meant a lot to me and a lot for the spirit we have in the team.”
Focusing on just how difficult his spell without a goal had been, Lacazette added: “It was really hard and complicated, because sometimes I had some games with no chances, sometimes I missed or the goalkeeper saved it.
“Of course for a striker it is always hard to not score, but it happens in football. Hopefully it is the last time for me.”
Lacazette’s injury time strike against Newcastle put the gloss on what was an excellent win for Arsenal, only their second in the league since Mikel Arteta took over in December.
After a drab first half, they sprung into life soon after the interval when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe struck twice in the space of three minutes.
Mesut Ozil stretched their advantage with his first of the season late on before Lacazette finished things off in stoppage time.
The win moved them up to 10th in the table and they are now just seven points off the top four and only six behind fifth-placed Spurs.
And with Manchester City potentially being banned from European football for the next two seasons after falling foul of UEFA’s financial fair play rules, fifth spot could be enough to secure Champions League football next season.
But Lacazette insists that for now, that is not something that he and his team-mates are focusing on.
“I think it is early to talk because they [City] can do an appeal and often it happens in football that it gets cancelled,” said the 28-year-old.
“So us, we just focus on ourself and we just play our football.
‘Of course [it is an opportunity], but even without this we just want to win for the team and fans and to be as high as possible.”
