Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was spotted by one fan being 'stuck in traffic' ahead of being dropped to the bench for Arsenal's 2-1 win over Tottenham at the Emirates.
However, Arteta confirmed that Alexandre Lacazette would take Aubameyang's place after the Arsenal captain breached the club's pre-match protocol.
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When asked about dropping the Gunners skipper, the 38-year-old Spaniard told Sky Sports: "Because, for me, they are the foundation and the platform that we can build something medium and long-term that is sustainable and that can bring us joy and happiness.
"Without that, I don't believe that it would happen. That's why I keep talking about it and acting about it. I made what I thought was the right decision and we draw a line there and now let's move on again.
"We know how important Auba is for us and for the club and that's it. It's been dealt with, now let's move on."
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One fan posted a picture on Twitter claiming to have spotted Aubameyang's car in traffic at 12:04pm in Muswell Hill.
Aubameyang, who was an unused substitute, was reportedly disciplined for turning up late for pre-match training ahead of the Spurs clash.
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But Martin Odegaard, on loan from Real Madrid, pulled back an equaliser before half-time.
Lacazette slammed home a penalty in the second half as Arsenal sealed all three points against 10-men Spurs.
Arteta insisted that Aubameyang is "one of the most important players in the team," but he added that "these things happen."
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Speaking on Aubameyang's absence, the Arsenal head coach explained: "We have a way of living together, we have to respect each other and that's it, but he is an incredible guy.
"He's one of the most important players in the team, he's our captain, but these things happen. We move forward and we enjoy the victory tonight.
"We have a lot of things going on in our lives, people are finding it difficult to handle a lot of the restrictions and it's part of our job."
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/PATopics: Tottenham Hotspur, Football, Premier League, England, Arsenal, Emirates, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang