Arsenal fans deliver Leandro Trossard verdict after cameo debut against Man United

The Gunners maintained a five-point lead on Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table – with a game in hand – after Eddie Nketiah poked home a last-minute winner to seal victory in a pulsating encounter at the Emirates Stadium.

Trossard, who signed for Arsenal from Brighton on Friday, made his debut in the 82nd when he was brought on for Gabriel Martinelli with the score level at 2-2.

The Belgium winger made an instant impact for Mikel Arteta’s side, starting the move which lead to Nketiah’s winning goal and the scenes of jubilation that followed soon after.

Following the game, Trossard tweeted: “Glad to meet you, Gunners! Big three points and amazing atmosphere out there!”

Arsenal fans also took to social media at full-time to praise the 28-year-old’s cameo performance, which included an impressive display of trickery and quick feet in the dying phases of the match.

@etin_james tweeted a video of this skill exhibition with the caption: “Leandro Trossard's sweet sweet cameo.”

@kanaasaph2225 also said: “New and confident Trossard, welcome to the winning team.”

@TheOddSolace added: “Neat little cameo for Leandro Trossard last night. His versatility is an obvious boon, but I suspect his full utility for Arsenal will be apparent whenever Kieran Tierney starts at left-back.”

Arsenal signed Trossard from Albion in a deal worth £21m plus add-ons. The player agreed a four-and-a-half year deal with the option for the club to extend his contract by 12 months.

The league leaders had been searching for an alternative to their top target Mykhailo Mudryk, after the Ukrainian winger signed for Chelsea in a deal worth £88.5m.

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Some Arsenal fans believe they have got the better deal in signing Trossard – @septimusajprime said: “Trossard is already better than Mudryk.”

While @WelBeast pointed out: “News reaching our desk today is that every premier league winning squad since 2010 has had a Belgian player in it. Whatever you choose to do with this information is up to you. Meanwhile, Welcome to Arsenal Leandro Trossard.”

Trossard provided 25 goals and 14 assists in 121 appearances for Albion. Some Arsenal supporters could already see similarities in the Belgium international’s playing style to that of ex-Arsenal favourite Santi Cazorla.

@upthething said: “Could we possibly sometime in the far future use Trossard as a #8 like Cazorla? Both are two footed, Cazorla was a winger before coming to Arsenal. I just got a Cazorla vibe from that short cameo COYG.”

@nickyafc wrote: “Trossard looked really good when he came on. Shades of Cazorla about this fella. I said in 2021 he was the best player outside the big 6, he looked as though he’d played 200 games for us, slotted right in. I would start him on Friday, give Nelli a rest.”

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Arsenal next face title rivals City in the fourth round of the FA Cup this Friday (January 27) and fans are already calling for Arteta to hand Trossard his first start in a red shirt and rest the out-of-form Martinelli.

@Wrightyafc1 said: “Do you think a player like Martinelli’s position is under pressure with some poor/not quite his best performances and Trossard there to cover or has he earned the right to play through a couple of poor games?”

@OutKse added: “I was heavily impressed by Trossard cameo yesterday and expect him to start against City.”