Leandro Trossard scripted an extraordinary redemption tale as Arsenal overcame a resilient Leicester City side, securing a 4-2 victory in an electrifying Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s men, seemingly on a comfortable path to victory with Gabriel Martinelli’s opener and Trossard’s first strike of the night, found themselves suddenly pegged back by two quickfire goals from an unexpected source—Leicester’s James Justin.
The full-back netted a surprising brace, including a stunning volley that left the home crowd in shock.
Just days after suffering a gut-wrenching, last-minute defeat to Manchester City, it was Arsenal’s turn to hand out late heartbreak.
Trossard, on a mission to redeem himself after a costly red card in the previous match, delivered the winning blow by poking home his second goal, ensuring the Gunners emerged victorious.
There was an air of optimism even before kickoff, as cheers erupted around the Emirates Stadium when the announcer revealed that Manchester City had dropped points to Newcastle United.
The situation meant that Arsenal could leap to the top of the Premier League table, provided they won by at least four goals.
Arsenal hit the ground running with that goal in mind. Gabriel Martinelli, whose last goal contribution came in March, finally ended his drought with a precise, bottom-corner strike, marking his 50th direct involvement in a Premier League goal for the club.
However, Leicester manager Steve Cooper was left fuming, believing his side should have been awarded a free kick in the buildup to the Brazilian’s goal.
The Gunners kept pressing for a second, and right before the halftime whistle, Trossard delivered.
In a poetic twist, the Belgian—sent off last weekend for time-wasting—redeemed himself in injury time of the first half.
Meeting a well-placed ball from Martinelli, Trossard coolly slotted home a first-time finish to give Arsenal a commanding 2-0 lead heading into the break.
That lead, however, was far from safe. Leicester’s James Justin, known more for his defensive work than scoring prowess, turned the game on its head.
His first came from a free kick that took a wicked deflection off Kai Havertz, leaving Aaron Ramsdale rooted to the spot. Moments later, Justin unleashed a sensational volley, reminiscent of Benjamin Pavard’s World Cup wonder strike, to level the score at 2-2.
Leicester now looked on course to snatch an unlikely point from the contest.
Yet, Arsenal had other plans. In the final moments, with the match hanging in the balance, Trossard stepped up again, driving into the box and latching onto a loose ball to secure his brace and Arsenal’s victory.
