Mikel Arteta could be without a key player this weekend.placeholder image
Mikel Arteta could be without a key player this weekend. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Mikel Arteta may not be able to use one of his first choice wingers for Arsenal on the visit to Chelsea this weekend.
There was one negative to come from the victory over the German giants with Leandro Trossard forced off after 38 minutes with what appeared to be a calf injury. That made space for Noni Madueke to come on and the former Chelsea man dazzled, scoring his first goal for the club.
Speaking after the game, when asked about Trossard’s injury, Arteta said: “With Leo, we don’t know [the extent of the injury]. He said he felt something. We didn’t want to take any risks, obviously.”
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On paper, that might not be too big a problem for Mikel Arteta with a host of wide players available for selection in Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze, Ethan Nwaneri, Max Dowman and Bukayo Saka.
However, Trossard is in form with two goals and two assists in his last four league outings. A potential absence for the Belgian international is made more painful for Arsenal given his prolific record against the Blues.
The winger has faced Chelsea 10 times across his career and lost just once - that was all the way back in the summer of 2020 when Brighton fell to a 3-1 defeat. Trossard still scored his side’s only goal in that match.
The forward hasn’t lost against the London club since and has added a further three goals against the opponents. He has only scored more goals against Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard prolific against Chelsea
Trossard was particularly important for Arsenal in the matches against Chelsea over the 2023/24 season. In the trip to Stamford Bridge, he came off the bench to score an 84th minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
Speaking after that match, Arteta said: “First of all he’s very good. He’s got this mentality to always be willing to help the team. He had an injury where he wasn’t fit enough to play the last two games. Those things change the momentum of the season.”
In the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium, Trossard then went and opened the scoring in a 5-0 rout after just four minutes. The player would go on to remember that outing as ‘the perfect night’.
It remains to be seen whether Trossard is indeed ruled out this weekend but, even if he is nursing a small niggle, a rest seems somewhat inevitable given the busy fixture period ahead. Arteta doesn’t have bad backup options in the likes of Madueke and Martinelli, but the Gunners could be without somewhat of a secret Chelsea weapon on Sunday.
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