Arsenal player exposed by team-mates in Sevilla win as surprising partnership blossoms
Arsenal displayed their superiority over Sevilla at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 2-0 victory to establish a four-point lead at the summit of Champions League Group B.
Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka were the scorers for the London team, and ArsenalBrief delves into four interesting highlights from this lopsided European match.
Havertz exposed by team-mates
The German player found no respite in a match where Arsenal dominated for the most part. In such circumstances, Mikel Arteta had hoped for an energetic and impactful performance, which Kai Havertz failed to deliver.
The impressive and vibrant performances by Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka stood in stark contrast to Havertz’s inability to influence the game similarly. Havertz set a discouraging tone in the first half with a poor header at the back post.
Despite a close attempt with a curling shot narrowly missing the target after halftime, it was evident that compared to his teammates, Havertz struggled to make a significant impact.
This underwhelming display highlighted Arteta’s ongoing challenge in extracting the best from the £65 million signing.
Unexpected partnership blossoms
Leandro Trossard received a starting position on Wednesday night, although he typically serves as a super sub at the moment.
Few would have anticipated the impressive statistics that Trossard and Saka have collectively achieved as a partnership.
Out of the five goals Trossard has scored across all competitions this season, it’s remarkable that Saka has provided the assist for every single one of them.
This partnership between Trossard and Saka has been more productive than any other duo involving Premier League players this season.
Their synergy was particularly devastating for Arsenal’s first goal, as Saka intercepted Jorginho’s defense-splitting pass and delivered an accurate square pass, enabling Trossard to swiftly convert the ball into a goal.
Martinelli shows no mercy
During a match where Saka achieved a goal and an assist, it was Martinelli who delivered the most outstanding performance. He engaged in a relentless one-on-one battle against Sevilla’s young right-back, Juanlu Sanchez.
Martinelli dominated his opponent from the start, to the extent that it became nearly humiliating for the 20-year-old defender.
The Brazilian not only provided an assist for Saka’s goal that extended the hosts’ lead but also executed a remarkable stop-and-turn maneuver, reminiscent of Dimitar Berbatov, leaving Juanlu completely outplayed—a moment that will be remembered for a long time.
Win ends on a bitter note
Following an unfortunate 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United, Arteta surely sought a morale boost and seemed on track for a satisfying 2-0 victory over Sevilla at home.
However, the closing minutes might have soured the Spaniard’s mood. Witnessing Saka leaving the field due to injury and receiving a booking for dissent toward the referee would naturally bother most managers. It’s uncertain whether the winger’s injury will sideline him for the upcoming match against Burnley in North London this weekend.
Arsenal player exposed by team-mates in Sevilla win as surprising partnership blossoms