Given the signing of Kai Havertz and the continued excellence of both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, it might have seemed like opportunities would be limited for Leandro Trossard at Arsenal this season. However, if his form in pre-season so far is anything to go by, it is going to be difficult for Mikel Arteta to leave him out.
Trossard scored twice in a 5-3 win for the Gunners over Barcelona in Los Angeles on Wednesday, as the Premier League side came from behind to secure what turned out to be a thrilling win despite the pre-season vibes.
Barca took the lead through Robert Lewandowski, who pounced on a rebound and scuffed his effort over Aaron Ramsdale and into the net, before Saka levelled things soon after, seizing onto an Andreas Christensen miscue and finishing from close range.
The winger could've added a second in quick succession but skewed a penalty wide of the post, and Raphinha gave his team the lead back 15 minutes later, whipping a free-kick into the bottom corner after a heavy deflection. Havertz provided the Arsenal response on the stroke of half-time, latching onto a Martin Odegaard header to find the corner.
Then Trossard took over. He put the Gunners ahead early in the second half with a fine cut and finish. He added his second to kill the game, guiding a volley into the bottom corner off a Kieran Tierney cross. Ferran Torres did pull one back, but a curler from Fabio Viera in the dying moments settled things.
Still, this night was about Trossard, an ever-improving player who could be crucial if Arsenal are to push Manchester City in the Premier League title race yet again this season.
GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at So-Fi Stadium...