Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not to mope.

The Arsenal captain is suffering a nightmare season and has not scored in his last six games, the worst spell of his career.

Asked whether the striker was struggling with confidence, boss Arteta said: “When a player is not scoring, it's affecting his confidence, affecting the mood and probably the belief.

“But this is what you're going to have to try to do — don't accept it and feel sorry for yourself.

“Every player has patches. When a player is hitting goals, they try to maintain it as long as possible and try to reduce the time when they don't."

Arteta was asked whether the pair's relationship was deteriorating and if he would consider selling him next month.

He said: “The players and the substitutions are always with intention to improve the team and try to win the match.

“I have a very good relationship with my players. Because if there's one thing that I have to understand it's that they always do the best for the club and for the team. The decisions are not personal."

When pressed on if he would be sold in January, Arteta said: “We have never discussed something like this. When a player is having difficulties or the team is having difficulties, what we have to give is support."

The Gunners chief also ruled out any chance of buying a striker in the next window.

Arteta said: “I always said that what we have to do is make the players we have better. It's our job."