Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool on Wednesday night, but Gabriel Martinelli produced a superb display and impressed many – including pundit Gary Lineker.
Arsenal were hoping to make it six league wins in a row and certainly gave Liverpool a real game in the first half.
The problem for the Gunners was that they couldn’t find the opening goal and Liverpool eventually took full advantage.
Diogo Jota fired a strike past Aaron Ramsdale, beating the Arsenal goalkeeper at his near post before substitute Roberto Firmino added a second.
Liverpool just had too much firepower in the end and came way with a 2-0 victory, leaving Arsenal a little disappointed after a spirited display.
One Arsenal player stole the show though as winger Martinelli enjoyed a fine evening up against Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Brazilian wide man certainly left Alexander-Arnold knowing he had been in a game having caused countless problems all night long.
Martinelli’s raw numbers may not look amazing; one key pass, one tackle won, one interception, three successful dribbles.
That doesn’t quite encapsulate the positions he took up, the way he was turning Alexander-Arnold inside-out and the shot he fired wide of the post late on.
In the second half, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville suggested that Martinelli had Alexander-Arnold ‘on toast’ having caused havoc.
The plaudits have been pouring in for Martinelli having excelled against Liverpool, and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has joined in.
Lineker tweeted just seven words, stating ‘Martinelli will be a world class player’.
Arsenal fans probably agree with that, with Martinelli surely on a path to stardom in North London.
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