Arsenal: Leandro Trossard hits form at perfect time to leave Mikel Arteta with clear PSG decision | OneFootball

Gunners will hope Trossard can take goalscoring touch into Champions League semi-final against PSG

Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Simon Collings

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All of those have come this month, with Trossard scoring four of Arsenal’s 15 goals - which is twice as many as the next best individual tally of two.

It was a similar story last season, when the 30-year-old was the surprise star of Arsenal’s final push in the title race.

In the months of April and May, no Arsenal player found the net more times than Trossard and his six strikes accounted for over 25 per cent of the Gunners’ goals during that time.

The Belgian seems to have a knack of coming good at the end of campaigns, as he also did so at Brighton, too.

During his final full season at the Seagulls, Trossard scored more goals than any other player in the squad during the final two months of the 2021-22 campaign.

“He’s always ready, he’s always fit, and he can make the difference in any moment, that’s the best thing about it,” said Mikel Arteta.

“I think he’s been a very consistent player for us, whether playing as a nine, as a winger, starting or being a sub, and that’s what you want from players.”

Leandro Trossard has been Arsenal’s most reliable goalscorer in recent weeks

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Trossard did not start either leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid, but he should get the nod against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Thomas Partey is suspended for the first leg of the semi-final at Emirates Stadium and it has forced Arteta into a rejig.

Trossard is expected to be the beneficiary by starting upfront, with Mikel Merino dropping into midfield and Declan Rice shifting to the No6 role.

There is an argument, however, that Trossard would deserve to start anyway given his recent form.

The Belgian’s four goals have caught the eye, but his overall game has impressed, too.

Trossard has experience of playing as a ‘false nine’ and he gives Arsenal fluidity in attack with his movement.

The 30-year-old is happy to drift deep or roam wide and that proved especially effective against Ipswich last Sunday, with Merino regularly getting into the penalty area to exploit the space left by Trossard.

Arsenal missed that against Palace and, as much as Rice tried to act as a focal point by pushing forward, the Gunners lacked an out-ball when they wanted to go long.

It is why Arteta will be desperately hoping that Merino is fit to face PSG because the way the Spaniard dovetailed with Trossard last weekend helped Arsenal’s attack fire.

It was the Gunners’ defence on Wednesday night, however, that was a cause for concern for Arteta.

Arsenal were uncharacteristically sloppy at the back and, on another night, Palace could easily have left with the three points that would have crowned Liverpool as Premier League champion. As it was, the Reds have to wait until Sunday to secure the title.

Jakub Kiwior’s early goal had put Arsenal in the driving seat and, when Trossard put them ahead again after Eberechi Eze’s brilliant equaliser, you expected them to go on and win the game.

William Saliba, however, was loose in possession and it allowed Jean-Philippe Mateta to snatch a late equaliser.

It is the second error in as many weeks for Saliba, who was also at fault for Vinicius Junior’s goal at the Bernabeu, and Arsenal cannot afford to defend like this against PSG.

Arsenal allowed Palace to have 15 shots on goal and the visitors also chalked up an xG of 1.75, which was more than the Gunners managed.

Arteta said after how Arsenal had “dropped our standards” and that was, perhaps, down to PSG looming large on the horizon. Everyone, even the fans at Emirates Stadium, had one eye on that first leg.

Now, though, Arsenal must regain focus quickly ahead of a tie that will define their season.