Leandro Trossard becomes Premier League chart-topper at Arsenal with Aston Villa goal
Leandro Trossard was one of several top performers in Arsenal’s 2-0 away win over Aston Villa.
On Saturday evening, Mikel Arteta finally got the better of Unai Emery after falling short to his countryman twice last season.
Arsenal left Villa Park with three points, winning 2-0 on the night thanks to goals from Trossard and Thomas Partey.
The Belgian, along with David Raya and William Saliba, was a standout performer in Birmingham, where he became a chart-topper at Arsenal in the Premier League.
Leandro Trossard is the most clinical Arsenal substitute in Premier League history
When Arteta’s side needed a moment of magic to break the deadlock, up stepped Trossard to do what he does best.
It took the Belgian just two minutes after coming off the bench to open the scoring, burying the ball past Emi Martinez with his first touch of the game.
By scoring against Villa, Trossard scored his sixth Premier League goal as a substitute, which saw him become a history maker at Arsenal.
Six of Trossard’s 14 Premier League goals for the Gunners have come from the bench, with him netting 43% of his league goals as a substitute, which is the highest percentage of any Arsenal player to score 10 or more in the competition.
It’s a remarkable statistic that only reinforces just how reliable the Belgium international is off the bench when Arteta needs a goal or a spark of quality.
Trossard shouldn’t be on the bench for much longer
If there’s anything that the contest with Villa hinted at, it’s that Trossard’s position in the pecking order should change immediately.
The opinion is not reactionary, with the Belgian considered as one of Arsenal’s best finishers, as well as being in better form than left-wing rival Gabriel Martinelli.
The Brazilian had another poor outing against Villa, just as he did against Wolves, with the time ticking regarding when the 23-year-old will drop down to the bench to accommodate Trossard.
Next up for the Gunners come Trossard’s former club Brighton, whom he scored against last season at the Amex, unsurprisingly after coming off the bench.
It would be a shock to not see the 29-year-old in the starting lineup to face the Seagulls, who like Arsenal, have had a stellar start to the season.
Arteta certainly has a decision to make ahead of the fixture, with Trossard’s display against Villa making things a lot easier for his manager.
