Gabriel Martinelli has been singing the praises of Arsenal teammates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.
Anything that Champions League-chasing Arsenal achieve this season will have its roots in the form of two of their most exciting academy prospects.
Smith Rowe, in particular, is the Gunners’ top goalscorer this season with 10 across all competitions, while it’s also been another glittering campaign for Saka who, with nine goals and five assists, has more goal involvements than anybody on the red half of North London.
And Martinelli, another star of Mikel Arteta’s youthful and vibrant Arsenal, has heralded both teammates and claimed that they deserve all of their success.
Martinelli told BBC Sport, when asked about Smith Rowe: “He’s amazing player. He deserves it [the success]. He works hard. Saka as well. They always try to do their best and I think they deserve it.”
Arteta will need all three – and Martin Odegaard – to be bang in form at Aston Villa tomorrow afternoon.
Arsenal remain favourites to finish in the top four but defeat will mean that Tottenham can move level on points by beating West Ham United on Sunday evening.
With Antonio Conte being a world-class manager, and the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min being outstanding attackers, the Gunners don’t want to motivate their North London rivals but losing at Villa Park will do precisely that.
Saka, Smith Rowe and Martinelli have been excellent for the Gunners when the team has been excellent as a whole, but can they inspire an immediate response after losing to Liverpool on Wednesday? Well, time will tell.
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