Saved by Trossard & Saka: Arteta Must Finally Axe 105-touch Arsenal Man After Leicester
Arsenal continued their pursuit of the Premier League title with a dramatic, last-minute victory over Leicester City on Saturday afternoon. Despite a shaky second-half performance, the Gunners managed to secure all three points, keeping their title hopes alive.
Earlier in the day, Manchester City dropped points at St James’ Park, providing Arsenal with a golden opportunity to capitalise. By halftime, the north London club seemed well on their way to victory, leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
However, the Premier League is never short on surprises. Leicester, still searching for their first win of the season, fought back with two goals from James Justin, including a spectacular second, to draw level just before the hour mark.
Facing the prospect of a second consecutive league draw, Trossard came through once again, scoring via an unfortunate deflection off Wilfried Ndidi from a set-piece in stoppage time. Kai Havertz added another goal just before the final whistle, sealing the win for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arteta will undoubtedly feel a sense of relief after the late heroics, but the mixed performances from his squad will give him plenty to think about moving forward.
Leandro Trossard was pivotal once more, stepping up to fill the creative void left by Martin Odegaard. The Belgian not only played a key role in the decisive goal but also contributed with three crucial passes.
Bukayo Saka was equally impressive, continuing his fine form this season. While Trossard’s late goal was eventually credited as an own goal by Ndidi, Saka still delivered an outstanding performance, registering eight key passes, completing eight successful dribbles, and winning 11 ground duels.
| Saka’s game in numbers vs Leicester |
|---|
| 101 touches |
| 93% pass accuracy |
| 8 key passes |
| 6/11 crosses |
| 4 ‘big chances’ created |
| 8/12 dribbles |
| 11/22 ground duels won |
| 20x possession lost |
| 9.4 match rating |
| Stats Source: Sofascore |
On the opposite wing, Gabriel Martinelli made a triumphant return to the scoresheet. The Brazilian winger, known for his pace, also assisted Trossard just before half-time. This latest contribution brings Martinelli’s tally to three goal involvements in his last two appearances.
It was a successful day for Arteta’s offensive players, but the strong performances from Trossard and others may have overshadowed Thomas Partey. The Ghanaian midfielder once again struggled to make a significant impact in the center of the field.
Thomas Partey’s Performance vs Leicester
At first glance, it seemed like a calm day for the seasoned midfielder, as the 31-year-old registered 105 touches and an impressive 92% pass accuracy, in addition to winning five of his eight ground duels.
However, statistics don’t always reveal the full picture. Partey was notably at fault for the opposition’s second goal, as he appeared not to do enough to prevent the cross that led to Justin’s fierce volley.
The image of the former Atletico Madrid player moving sluggishly has become a common sight for Arsenal fans lately. Club legend Ian Wright has previously criticized him, especially after the midfielder was seen “jogging back” during the build-up to Brighton and Hove Albion’s equalizer in late August.
With both Odegaard and new signing Mikel Merino unavailable, Arteta has had little choice but to persist with Partey in midfield. However, whether he can be consistently relied upon remains uncertain.
According to football.london’s Kaya Kaynak, who gave Partey a 6/10 rating, the £200k-per-week player appeared to “tire massively” after halftime, eventually being substituted in the closing stages.
As Arsenal secured the win without Partey on the pitch, there could be an argument for his potential removal from the starting lineup, especially as fans hope to see more of teenage talent Ethan Nwaneri.
This shift would require Declan Rice to assume the sole number six role, but with Partey’s stamina in question, Arsenal cannot afford to carry anyone who isn’t performing at their peak in their quest for the title.
In other Arsenal news, “Worth Every Penny” – Martin Keown Awestruck by Arsenal Star After Late Win Over Leicester
