Leandro Trossard is desperate to ‘make it hard’ for Mikel Arteta after Arsenal beat Luton Town 2-0 on Wednesday, despite him making their most changes all season.
The Spaniard heavily rotated his line-up from the side which drew 0-0 at Manchester City on Sunday with Arsenal back in action at Brighton & Hove Albion this Saturday. Yet despite their five changes, the Gunners got three points to return to the top of the Premier League table.
Arteta chose to rest Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice, Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior and Bukayo Saka failed to overcome an injury. In came Trossard, Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Reiss Nelson. It was even Nelson’s first Premier League start since July 2020.
Arsenal beat Luton Town 2-0 after Mikel Arteta made his most changes all season
Captain Martin Odegaard still starting for Arsenal played a key role in their win over Luton as the midfielder broke the deadlock. He prodded the ball home in the 24th minute after Smith Rowe picked Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s pocket and fed Kai Havertz, who assisted the skipper.
Daiki Hashioka’s (44’) own goal would ultimately settle the result after inadvertently turning the ball home under pressure by Nelson. The win leapfrogged Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table ahead of Liverpool welcoming Sheffield United to Anfield on Thursday.
Leandro Trossard is desperate to ‘make it hard’ for Mikel Arteta
Arsenal are also still one point clear of three-time reigning champions Manchester City after 30 games. But with Liverpool having one game in hand and matching the Citizens’ 67 points, Trossard warns Arsenal that Arteta’s side must continue taking their title bid game-by-game.
But that will not stop the Belgian from wanting to put pressure on their Spanish tactician for further starts. Trossard believes the Gunners’ fringe stars are yearning to make it difficult for Arteta to snub them and showed what they can offer Arsenal in their 2-0 win against Luton.
“Everyone showed they can play and make it hard for the manager,” Trossard said, via the Mirror. “I think he is happy with the performance of all the players, so it couldn’t be better.
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“There were five changes in this game and everyone did their job, and that is what we need in the team – competition. Confidence levels are really high. Hopefully, we can maintain this and we have to take it game-by-game because we are playing every three days.”
Trossard is the closest fringe player to challenging for a more regularly starting role given his 11 in 26 Premier League appearances so far this term. He also has seven goals plus an assist and further pulled the strings before Smith Rowe set up Hashioka’s own goal against Luton.
The winger’s ability to turn opponents was also clear on Wednesday. But Trossard still needs to prove his case for further starts at London Colney and in his outings from Arsenal’s bench. Arteta axed him from the starting XI at Manchester City and also has Gabriel Martinelli back.