Aubameyang v Toney: Premier League peers, now RSL rivals | OneFootball

Rather surprisingly, for two players with considerable recent experience of the English Premier League, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivan Toney have spent less than an hour together competitively on the pitch.

Back in the curtain-raiser to the 2021-22 season, Aubameyang was forced to sit out Arsenal’s visit to Toney’s newly promoted Brentford. In a way, he was probably pleased: the hosts, returning to the chief division following a 74-year absence, bullied their loftier rivals in a memorable 2-0 victory. Although he didn’t score, Toney ran ragged the Arsenal defence.

Five months later, Aubameyang’s four-year spell in North London was over; having been captain until that point, he departed Arsenal by mutual consent and, the following day, signed with La Liga giants Barcelona.

Yet he was soon back in England, and London, in fact. In September 2022, Aubameyang transferred to Graham Potter’s Chelsea, where he would play a season before making the move to Ligue 1’s Olympique de Marseille – the club from which the Gabon international, 35, joined Roshn Saudi League new boys Al Qadsiah this summer.

It was during his time at Stamford Bridge that Aubameyang came up close to Toney, in the 0-0 league draw at Brentford in October 2022 and the 2-0 home defeat six months later. Both times, Aubameyang was introduced as a substitute; around 10 minutes in the first encounter, and 45 minutes in the latter.

On Friday, though, it’s safe to say the competing forwards will face one another for longer. Still rivals, they are now RSL counterparts, Toney following Aubameyang to Saudi Arabia late last month when he signed for Al Ahli.

This weekend, Al Qadsiah welcome Al Ahli to Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam with their principal strikers still settling into new environs. Toney has arguably done so quicker, as goals are often the currency with which strikers deal in.

The England international, 28, got off the mark for Al Ahli last time out, netting twice in the 4-2 victory against Damac in Matchweek 4. It marked his second appearance for the Jeddah giants. In his third, Monday's shock 2-1 defeat in the King’s Cup at home to First Division League side Al Jandal, Toney again scored, even if eventually it proved little consolation.

Meanwhile, the latest round of the Kingdom’s premier cup competition also provided Aubameyang with some personal cheer. The frontman had failed to score in his opening three RSL matches, but broke his duck for Al Qadsiah on Sunday night, when he notched the fourth in a comprehensive 4-1 triumph in the King's Cup clash against fellow top-tier club Al Orobah.

The expectation is, with that particular monkey off his back, Aubameyang will be free to relocate the sort of form that saw him register 17 goals in 34 matches for Marseille last season. Should he do so, he may then begin to challenge the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2024-25 golden boot. It is an individual honour that Toney, off and running, will unquestionably target, too.

It adds another layer to what makes Friday night’s meeting, between teams with upper-echelon ambitions and separated in the standings only by goal difference – Al Ahli sit sixth, Al Qadsiah seventh – even more captivating.

Aubameyang and Toney: former Premier League foes, now RSL adversaries with designs on making an indelible impression in Saudi football.