"Lucky to be starting", "Jesus should be in ahead of him" - Fans react to Arsenal star's inclusion in XI for EFL Cup clash against Newcastle

Fans on social media have expressed their disapproval about Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta's decision to name Leandro Trossard in the starting XI for their EFL Cup clash against Newcastle United. The first leg of their semi-final is currently ongoing at the Emirates Stadium.

Leandro Trossard's performances for the Gunners this season have been underwhelming. He has registered four goals and three assists in 27 appearances. In Arsenal's last Premier League clash against Brighton, which ended in a 1-1 draw, the Belgian left-winger took 49 touches, had one shot off target, and no key passes.

Fans took to social media and made posts sharing their opinions on Leandro Trossard being named in Arsenal's starting line-up against Newcastle United in the EFL Cup. While some fans were surprised by the 30-year-old's inclusion after the Gunners' last league clash, some wanted Gabriel Jesus to start instead. Here are some of their reactions from X:

"Trossard lucky to be starting," a fan wrote.

Another added:

"Jesus should be in ahead of Trossard apart from that great team 💪🏾"

"Trossard again ffs," chimed in another fan.

One account posted:

"Jesus over Trossard and it would have been perfect considering circumstances"

Another tweeted:

"Apart from Trossard im happy"

"If Trossard plays badly today he should never Start again." posted another.

One user wrote:

"Jesus should have started on the left. Trossard should go back to being a super sub. it suits him."

While another wrote:

"Only thing I was expecting different was Jesus for Trossard but best we could ask for. Let’s go boys."

Since his arrival at the Emirates from Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2023, Leandro Trossard has recorded 22 goals and 15 assists in 95 appearances across competitions for Arsenal.

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"We want to win every competition" - Mikel Arteta ahead of Arsenal's EFL Cup semi-final clash against Newcastle

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta shared his thoughts on his squad facing Newcastle United in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final. Despite the disputes between the two clubs, particularly in the 2022-23 season, the Spanish manager denied the reported rivalry between the Gunners and the Magpies. While speaking ahead of the clash, the 42-year-old said (via Arseblog):

"Rivalry? No. From my side I have full respect and very good words towards them and what they do and how they do it. It is not a rivalry, it is a willingness to win against any opponent, including Newcastle."

During the pre-match press conference, Arteta was asked when the EFL Cup became a priority for Arsenal. To which he replied:

"From the beginning. It’s something that we discussed and were very clear – we want to win every competition. We are here and we have a squad and we have levels that requires that we approach every game in that way. We started game by game – now we are in the semifinals and we want to make it happen."

"It [winning a trophy] is the icing on the cake. We work every single day to achieve that to bring joy to our people and there is not a single moment that stands out more than when you have that cup and you are offering that cup to the supporters and you are sharing it with the people you work with every day. They are memories that stick in your mind and hopefully we can create many more," added Mikel Arteta.

While Arteta has led Arsenal to the FA Cup title in 2019–20 and the FA Community Shield twice (2020 and 2023), he is yet to lift the EFL Cup in his ongoing six-year managerial tenure at the Emirates. The last time the Gunners won the competition was back in 1992–93.