Arsenal are up and running in the Champions League thanks to their 2-0 win away at Athletic Bilbao.
The Gunners, who are also second in the Premier League table, struck in the second half through Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
Martinelli fired Arsenal into the lead just 36 seconds after coming off the bench as he latched onto a ball over the top by Trossard in the 72nd minute.
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Martinelli then repaid the favour, teeing up Trossard for an effort which was deflected into the net via the post in the 87th minute.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta made a big statement in the win at San Mames which shows the Gunners can do the unthinkable this season.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, celebrates his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Leeds United at Emirates Stadium on August 23, 2025
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arsenal’s strength in depth is among the best in the league
Modern-day football is not only more intense than ever, but the workload has increased hugely over the past few years.
As a result, it’s not enough to have a brilliant first XI any more – any team that wants to challenge on multiple fronts needs to have great strength in depth.
Arsenal have had a strong XI for a number of years now, but all too often their title hopes were derailed by key injuries or fatigue.
Now, the Gunners boast incredible strength in depth, as they showed at the San Mames.
The two players who made the difference, both in terms of goals and assists, came off the bench after a mixed performance from those who started.
It wasn’t that long ago that the prospect of having Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba out would have caused panic among Arsenal fans.
Now, it’s no longer a huge issue, as Arsenal showed on Tuesday – and even if those who start aren’t quite delivering, the subs are more than capable of making the difference.
Strength in depth is what turns teams that challenge for silverware into teams that win trophies.
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Why there is more to come from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard
Martinelli and Trossard have split the Arsenal fanbase for a while now, but all the signs are pointing to the two players delivering many more contributions this season.
Trossard is yet to start a game for the Gunners this term, while Martinelli has been dropped to the bench for their last two matches, along with being an unused substitute against Leeds.
However, both have likely put themselves in contention for a starting spot against Manchester City on Sunday with their heroics against Bilbao.
Standards have risen massively all across the board, and those on the bench will be eager to work hard to reclaim a starting spot.
Meanwhile, those who start will be well aware that those on the bench will be snapping at their heels for those spots in the XI.
With that in mind, there will no doubt be much more to come from Trossard and Martinelli, along with all the other forwards competing for starting spots.