It looked to be another long day at the office for Arsenal against Aston Villa on Saturday, but a crucial change made by Mikel Arteta turned the match on its head in the second half.
The Gunners lost both of their Premier League matches against Villa last season, which contributed to their inability to keep pace with Manchester City in the title race. On Saturday, the teams met again at Villa Park and there were moments in which it looked like Villa were once again going to get the best of the North London side.
However, Arsenal were able to keep the match scoreless until the 65th minute, when Arteta inserted Leandro Trossard into the action. The 29-year-old wasted little time making an impact, scoring just two minutes later after a good team move by Arsenal to get into the opposition penalty area.
Thomas Partey then scored in the 77th minute to seal the three points, but Arteta credits Trossard's influence as the main catalyst behind his team's surge to a 2-0 victory in hostile terrirtory.
"We had to change the momentum of the game," Arteta told Sky Sports. "We had 10 or 12 minutes suffering in the second half and Leandro has the ability to change the game. His end product is unbelievable."
Arteta admits that his side weren't fully prepared for their hosts' tactical set-up, and he pointed to a key defensive action that kept the Gunners in the match until Trossard's game-winner.
"We were surprised by Villa in the way they behaved defensively but then you have to make the game," the Arsenal manager explained. "We created a couple of big chances but [Ollie] Watkins has one here, a big one and the save of David [Raya] changes the game and the whole dynamic.
"They are a great side, are really well coached and it is a very difficult place to come and win. The competition is big, we have great players in each position and they are going to have to accept that. We have a huge season in front of us, a long one and you need players to impact. He [Trossard] did that last year when he started and when he was a sub and he has given us a headache for next weekend."
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