Gabriel Martinelli admits Mikel Arteta has a ‘much harder’ job removing the mistakes from Arsenal’s game than said. He also sees their errors in defeat to Manchester City as a team.
The Gunners fell to a 1-3 defeat at Emirates Stadium to their Premier League title rivals on Wednesday. Arsenal were on top through much of the first half and hit the break level. Yet a host of mistakes in the second period let Pep Guardiola’s side take advantage of Arteta’s.
Kevin De Bruyne (24’) had also broken the deadlock following a costly mistake by Takehiro Tomiyasu in the first half. The Japan right-back did not spot the Belgian in the centre as he played a loose backpass to Aaron Ramsdale. De Bruyne produced a delicate finish to score.
VAR David Coote would save Gabriel Magalhaes’ blushes in the second half by ruling Erling Haaland offside when fouled in the box by the Brazilian. Anthony Taylor initially pointed to the spot as Gabriel felled the forward. But the Gunners’ continued to trip over themselves.
Oleksandr Zinchenko turned the ball over in some dangerous areas after Gabriel’s penalty scare. And Gabriel was at fault as Manchester City restored a lead. Bernardo Silva latched onto the 25-year-old’s bad pass and began the move from which Jack Grealish (72’) scored.
Haaland (82’) would eventually get his goal to put the game out of Arsenal’s reach and put Manchester City top of the Premier League table. No Gunners players would take the ball away from Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne as they moved into the box to feed the forward.
Gabriel Martinelli issues his verdict on Arsenal’s mistakes vs Manchester City
Manchester City had chances to punish Arsenal for their array of mistakes that Guardiola’s side failed to convert. Martinelli now admits the Gunners must work to remove the errors from their game, too. But he adds it is far harder for Arteta to make the changes in-game.
“Mistakes are part of the game,” Martinelli admitted, via quotes by the Evening Standard. “We need to nail it and try to not make them. It’s easy to say now when you are here. But when you are on the pitch, it is so much harder.
“Of course, in a game like this, the team that makes less mistakes are going to win the game and they won today. We are a team. If one [player] makes a mistake it’s not him, it’s everyone. We are a team.”
Martinelli was not at fault for the costly mistakes Arsenal made in their defeat at home to Manchester City. But Arteta will want the Brazilian to deliver an improved performance as they look to respond. The 21-year-old faded as the game wore on and City gained control.
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