Leandro Trossard says Arsenal must be ‘perfect’ to beat Liverpool to the Premier League title | Football news
Arsenal striker Leandro Trossard has admitted his side will need to be perfect in their quest for the Premier League title this season.
The Gunners are currently four points behind leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand. Last time out, Arsenal bounced back from a late setback at Brighton where they played out a 1-1 draw to beat north London rivals Tottenham 2-0.
First-placed Liverpool are also still without a league win since the turn of the year as they have drawn back-to-back games against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest. However, Trossard believes the growing competitiveness of the league means Arsenal will need to remain at their best to stay in the competition.
“You have to be perfect every season,” Trossard said Sky Sports.
“Over the last four or five seasons it’s been such a tight race. Everyone’s competing, it’s not just the teams at the top of the table, everyone’s getting better every season so it’s getting more competitive.
“You have to be yourself [A] he plays every match day. It’s hard, but we just have to keep believing and be who we are, then we can achieve something.”
Arsenal’s efforts to win the title this season have not been helped by a growing injury list in attacking areas.
It was confirmed this week that Gabriel Jesus has suffered an ACL injury and will join Bukayo Saka on the sidelines. Despite the absences in the attack, Trossard says he is ready to fill in when called upon.
“Injuries are a big blow for us, we know what Bukayo is [Saka] he showed for the club and Gabriel Jesus was in a good run, those injuries are bad luck. We hope to be ready in the meantime. It’s up to us to be ready.
“We had to turn some things around because of the injuries so that everyone gets their chance. Of course, I’m always happy [to fill in up front]. I’m always ready to play in any position on the field.”
Arsenal maintained their threat from set-pieces and on their own as the side using corners most effectively. Their skillful execution of corners has led to some criticism from observers who suggest the Gunners rely too much on set-pieces. For Trossard, Arsenal is more than just a lineup.
“That’s the part of our game that we’re really good at,” he said Sky Sports.
“We want to be the best at everything, and that includes setting up. We’ve shown consistency over the last few years and that’s where you can decide games. It’s a big part of our game, but it’s not the only one.
“We can also score from open play. I don’t think there was an excessive reliance on corners. The point of view from outside will be like that because we scored a lot, but it is not in our mind to say that we can only score from set-pieces. It is just an additional tool for us for the win.
“I think everyone in the league would like this. We are really happy with this, obviously, we can score more but at the end of the day, you should be happy when you have wins in the Premier League.”
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