Mikel Arteta's angry Leandro Trossard outburst to Arsenal bench speaks volumes

At the start of the season, Leandro Trossard was dubbed criminally underrated - now he appears to be harvesting a reputation as an Arsenal scapegoat.
The 29-year-old Belgian received a huge outcry of support and sympathy in the aftermath of his controversial red card at Manchester City but the compassion has since descended into frustration following last Saturday's events at Bournemouth.

It's been well documented that Trossard's costly, wayward back pass stitched up colossal central defender William Saliba, who was later given his marching orders for hauling down Cherries frontman Evanilson.

And Mikel Arteta could quite easily have dropped the ex-Brighton forward against Shakhtar Donetsk but instead, he remained faithful to his £27million signing - a decision which is now likely to be scrutinised ahead of Sunday's crunch Premier League clash with Liverpool.

That's because on the basis of this showing, Trossard is evidently not playing his best football and it would appear, from the outside, that recent events may have taken a mental toll upon the winger, who squandered a second-half penalty on Tuesday night against the Ukrainians.

In the background of all this, Arsenal supporters are growing desperate for Arteta to unleash Hale End Academy ace Ethan Nwaneri but the stubborn Spaniard seems reluctant to comply - despite his love for the player.

The 17-year-old struck twice against Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup and while admittedly, it was notably weaker opposition, he showcased exactly why he is one of the hottest young talents in all of world football.

Trossard has been an ever-present figure in the absence of injured captain Martin Odegaard but after a particularly underwhelming Champions League display - Arteta's loyalty to the player will now be thrown into question on a night where Arsenal looked slightly stale.

Prior to the penalty - which Kai Havertz undoubtedly should have taken as he chased Arsenal goal-scoring history - Trossard gave away possession carelessly on the edge of his own box.

It came just minutes after he misplaced another risky pass and Arsenal were placed under unnecessary pressure. After the second mistake, Arteta turned round to his bench and raised two fingers while shouting: "That's two times!"

Still, despite the groans from the home crowd, Trossard remained on the pitch while Nwaneri was forced to watch on from the sidelines. He was an unused substitute, which just does not feel right during a time when the Gunners are lacking stardust.

Trossard remains a top player, he is a persistent threat and one of the unsung heroes of Arsenal's attacking setup but at this moment in time, his performances do not make him untouchable and Nwaneri should be in with a shout of minutes.

His eye-catching cameos from the bench against Leicester City and Bournemouth should provide enough encouragement that Arsenal's unpolished gem is worth at least a punt - when Odegaard is back, you can be forgiven for wondering when that day will come.

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