A few former Arsenal teammates faced off with new clubs Lyon and Marseille on Sunday night, and they ended up being pivotal in the final result.

Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles (C) reacts after the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on February 4, 2024. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE/AFP via Getty Images)
Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles (C) reacts after the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Olympique de Marseille (OM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on February 4, 2024. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE/AFP via Getty Images)

It wasn’t so long ago that Alexandre Lacazette, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all close friends at Arsenal, but the trio all now ply their trade in Ligue 1.

Lacazette and Maitland-Niles play for Olympique Lyonnais, and they took on Aubameyang and Marseille on Sunday.

It was Lacazette who gave his team the lead in the contest, seeing his first attempted blocked before rolling over and firing in from the floor.

Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the French Cup football match between CA Pontarlier and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) at the Leo Lagrange Stadium, in Besancon, eastern France, on January 7, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
Lyon’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the French Cup football match between CA Pontarlier and Olympique Lyonnais (OL) at the Leo Lagrange Stadium, in Besancon, eastern France, on January 7, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)

But it looked like Aubameyang might be about to draw his team level in the 79th minute, as he played a one-two before flicking the ball over Lyon keeper Anthony Lopes.

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As the shot bounced towards the net, Maitland-Niles appeared on the scene, racing over and booting an attempted clearance up into the air.

The ball flew up and off the crossbar, before flying away to safety.

That ended up being the closest Marseille came to an equaliser, and the match finished 1-0 to the hosts. Victory for Lacazette and Maitland-Niles on this occasion.

Marseille's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) reacts during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and AS Monaco at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, on January 27, 2024. (Photo by SYLVAIN THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Marseille’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) reacts during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and AS Monaco at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, on January 27, 2024. (Photo by SYLVAIN THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images)

After completing a summer transfer to Lyon, Maitland-Niles might initially have been left regretting his decision.

14 games into the league season, Lyon had won just one game, and Maitland-Niles had hardly featured.

That changed in the next six games, with Lyon winning four times and Maitland-Niles starting the last three in a row. The ex-Arsenal man also appeared in two cup wins for his new side in January.

With his latest exploits earning his side another win, Maitland-Niles should be winning over some of the doubters now.

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