Leandro Trossard Delivers a Crushing Blow to the Toffees as His Goal Earned a 1-0 Away Win for Arsenal

Ahead of their first trial of the season, Arsenal relied on their substitute, Leandro Trossard, to score their decisive goal against Everton in a ground they have not won since the post-Wenger era. Although the game was seemingly one-sided in the Gunners favour, it matters little if the scoreline remains level. Chelsea can testify to that face after their goalless draw with Bournemouth. Returning on track, Leandro Trossard came in as a first-half substitute for the injured Gabriel Martinelli, who supposedly gave Arsenal the lead before VAR controversially chalked the goal off due to offside. However, Leandro Trossard did give Arsenal the advantage and win they deserved after slotting a cross from Saka.

Leandro Trossard Pounches on His Opportunity Again

While Alexis Mac Allister and Moisés Caicedo are struggling after their move from Brighton, Leandro Trossard is thriving under Mikel Arteta. Although Trossard is not the first name on the lineup, he always delivers when the Spaniard relies on him. For example, he provided 1 goal and 10 assists in his 20 games for Arsenal last season. For further context, Leandro Trossard only started half of those matches after his summer transfer to Arsenal. 

Moreover, Leandro Trossard also scored the crucial stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield before Arsenal went on and won their first trophy of the season. However, despite his well-rounded contribution, Arteta still favours the flair of Martinelli and sometimes Havertz, to the dismay of the fans.

Fortunately for the Gunners, Arteta trusted Leandro Trossard ahead of the German and brought him on for the injured Gabriel Martinelli. After knocking on the door countless times, Leandro Trossard finally gave Arsenal a well-earned lead after directing a right-sided cross from Saka with his weaker left foot into the post and the goal. The goal also marks his first contribution for the season and helps Arsenal stay unbeaten ahead of their North London derby against the similar unbeaten Spurs.

Leandro Trossard’s Official Statement: “I Knew I Had to Hit It Straight with My Left.”

After earning his Player of the Match award, Leandro Trossard did not forget to commend Bukayo Saka for his pinpoint cross to find him. “I think it is a great action! I called Bukayo, and he saw me. It is a great layoff, and I knew I had to hit it straight with my left. It goes perfectly, and I am really happy.”

Leandro Trossard also did not fail to highlight the importance of being two-footed as a footballer. “I have been practising all my life with both feet – you can see it helps you as an attacker. It is so helpful when you are good with both feet. You can go either way and score with both feet. It is nice.” 

His manager, Mikel Arteta, also praised the Belgian for his contribution and hopes he can continue to deliver for the Gunners in this title-testing period. “Great finish. He did it in the week with Belgium as well. It is what we need. The players who came in did very well, and the subs who came on did very well. We need everyone on their toes, and we fully trust them.”

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VAR Under Scrutiny Yet Again 

However, before the heroics of Leandro Trossard, there was another flashpoint surrounding the chalked-off goal of Gabriel Martinelli. To recap, Gabriel meets a bouncing ball just inside his own half and attempts to play a short pass to Saliba. However, when he released the ball, the Everton striker Beto diverted it forward to Nketiah before he controlled it and laid it off to Fabio Vieira, who then assisted Martinelli for the goal.  

After celebrating what seemed to be a perfectly legal goal, VAR stepped in and ruled the goal out due to Nketiah being offside. According to PGMOL, while the intervention from Beto did change the course of the attempted pass from Gabriel, it is not deemed a deliberate act, and play does not reset at the point of his contact.

Once again, Mikel Arteta could help but shake his as the decision went against his team. “The first (Disallowed) goal should be allowed. It comes off the opponent. I do not know the reason why they have done it. That could have changed the game much earlier.”

Related: Takehiro Tomiyasu Controversially Sent off in Arsenal’s 1-0 Triumph Away at Crystal Palace

Gabriel Martinelli Could Be Out for Weeks Due to a Hamstring Injury

Injuries and suspensions are not what Arsenal would like to face ahead of their first harsh trial of the season. Unfortunately for them, Gabriel Martinelli could be out for weeks and even 2-3 months after suffering a hamstring injury. According to Arteta, they will know the extent of it after further assessment today.

If his injuries are severed, it could pose a significant problem for Arsenal in their run for the Champions League and Premier League. Furthermore, with their new signing Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey already out of the matches against the Eredivisie leaders, PSV, on Thursday and the North-London derby against Tottenham on Sunday, it will take a monumental effort from the squad to remain unbeaten.

While they have players like Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Emile Smith Role on the bench, it is hard not to expect a drop in performance when physical and mental fatigue kicks in if results do not go their way. What are your thoughts, Arsenal fans? Will your club remain undefeated in this first 3 games in a week run? Let us know in the comments below or on our site here. To view the upcoming Champions League action, be sure to tune in to AsiaSports for results and coverage of your favourites teams.