It's been a frustrating campaign for Arsenal attacker Eberechi Eze to date but he has now given Mikel Arteta something to think about following a productive showing in the 3-0 Champions League win over Lille

For the entirety of Eberechi Eze's professional career, he has played with the same swagger and signature free-flowing style that he first displayed in South London's cages as a youngster.

However, this season - despite the departures of left-wing duo Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli - opportunities have been few and far between for the 28-year-old, who has looked a shadow of his creative and expressive self.

Last night, the mood music began to shift and the penny threatened to finally drop as Eze sparkled in a second-half attacking clinic in the 3-0 Champions League dismantling of Lille.

He is still yet to start a match in the Premier League this term but after providing Mikel Arteta with a timely reminder of his unique explosive qualities, there is a sense that momentum is now building for the England international.

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“It’s fun," explained Eze after rifling home Bukayo Saka's crisp cutback for his first goal of the campaign. Inevitably, more will soon follow. He later added: “I always want to play, always want to score, and that’s the mentality, I’ll keep pushing and keep working.”

On Monday, Arteta revealed Eze was still yet to knock on his door and demand answers as to why minutes had so far been minimal. It would indicate the attacker already knows within himself that his performances have not been up to scratch to date.

Per Arteta, Noni Madueke had been "the best player in training" for 10 days prior to replacing the injured Christos Tzolis on the left flank against Leeds. It was an unexpected left-field call that appears to have sparked Eze into life and ignited the fire within his stomach.

Prior to facing Lille, the ex-Crystal Palace marvel's underlying numbers were notably underwhelming. He'd created 1.16 chances per 90 - though had only started victories over Napoli and Ipswich Town - while Tzolis had averaged 2.37.

Eze had also failed to register a single shot on target and despite averaging 4.25 attempted dribbles per 90, he'd only completed around 27 per cent of them (1.16).

Tzolis had also averaged more touches in the opposition box (5.5) than Eze (4.3) per 90 and the Greek also boasts four assists on top of several goal involvements during pre-season following his £34million summer transfer from Club Brugge.

But Eze's stats against Lille make for very exciting reading. He had the most touches of any player in the opposition box with 12. That's one more than he managed across his seven other appearances (233 minutes) combined so far this season.

He also had the joint-most shots alongside midfielder Bruno Guimaraes with five. Again, that's one more than he's mustered across his seven other outings combined this term (four).

Eze also completed more dribbles (four) than any other player - a huge spike on the 1.16 he's averaged per 90 so far and one more than he's managed in total this campaign.

The £67.5m acquisition is merely too talented not to have a decisive impact upon Arsenal's season. He has the talent within his repertoire to be a difference-maker for the Premier League champions, particularly in the final third.

With a big batch of domestic and European fixtures on the horizon, this feels like the perfect stretch of matches for Eze to make his mark - just as he did versus Lille.

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