After Arsenal were beaten in the Champions League against Porto in midweek, many of their fans were probably dreading their game against Newcastle United on Saturday night.
Mainly because of the quick turnaround, lack of preparation, the tired legs and how psychologically they were going to be tested.
But Arsenal blitzed through an abject Newcastle side, with Shaun Wright-Phillips claiming that Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka had all the ‘joy’ on the flanks, as he told Premier League Productions (24/02/24 at 8:55 pm).
The former Chelsea winger thinks it was ‘easy’ for the attacking Arsenal duo, with Bukayo Saka scoring his side’s third after brilliant footwork out on the right flank.
Gabriel Martinelli didn’t get on the scoresheet, but he did brilliantly well to keep the ball in play and assist Kai Havertz for his goal.
After the disappointment of midweek, where Mikel Arteta’s side didn’t look like scoring, this was the London club’s forward line back to its very best.
That’s 18 Premier League goals since the team returned from the winter break and their star duo are playing a huge part in it all.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli shine for Arsenal
“Arsenal have all the time and space to play exactly how they want,” said Wright-Phillips.
“When you have a willing runner like Martinelli, who is going to keep running in behind, or you have Saka who is going to come into the little pockets or go past you on the byline. It’s a joy for them, at the minute. It’s easy.
“The only pressure they have got is two yards from them. Two yards, with that sort of quality Arsenal have, they will punish you.”
Arsenal scoring for fun
The number of goals Arsenal are scoring is probably unexpected because they have gone into hyper-mode.
This isn’t a case of the Premier League title-chasers not being able to score for fun, it’s how they aren’t stopping and tearing everyone apart.
Nothing is stopping them, at this moment, and it’s making a huge difference because of the confidence it is giving Arsenal, as well as how it’s put the team in command when it comes to goal difference.
Given that only two points separate the top three, then there is every chance this title race goes to the final game week of the season, so goal difference might just prove to be a major factor.
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