"He just keeps the ball for fun" - Tony Cascarino wowed by what Arsenal star did in 2-0 Crystal Palace win
Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino was impressed with new Arsenal signing Oleksandr Zinchenko and has claimed that he will help forward Gabriel Martinelli become a better player in the upcoming season.
The Gunners opened their 2022-23 Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on August 5. Martinelli opened the scoring for Mikel Arteta's side in the first half, with defender Marc Guehi scoring an own goal in the latter stages of the contest.
Zinchenko, who joined the north London outfit from Manchester City for £32 million earlier this summer, shone on his club debut behind Martinelli on the left flank. He also provided an assist for the Brazilian with a header aimed into the heart of the opposition six-yard box.
Oleksandr Zinchenko won 100% of his aerial duels, created the most chances and provided an assist in the first-half v Crystal Palace.
#AFC https://t.co/JXp0rLAxe9
Speaking on talkSPORT, Cascarino lauded Zinchenko for his inspirational debut on Friday. He said:
"There were some very good performances from Arsenal. Zinchenko on the ball, I mean, wow! He just keeps the ball for fun. He's so comfortable and not just at full-back, but dropping into the midfield area, as a lot of Manchester City players do."
He continued:
"Martinelli is never going to have a better opportunity of having a left-sided full-back-cum-wideman to help him become a better player."
Martinelli registered six goals and six assists last season and is expected to increase his tally in the 2022-23 edition by establishing himself as the team's first-choice left-winger. Meanwhile, Zinchenko is set to compete with Kieran Tierney for the left-back position this campaign.
Gabriel Martinelli's goal against Crystal Palace was the first header he has ever scored in his Premier League career.
Arsenal's new No.11 kicks off the 2022/23 season. 😘 https://t.co/ojp13R45uZ
William Saliba, who made his debut for Arsenal against Crystal Palace, bagged the 'Man of the Match' award in the club's season opener. Speaking about the 21-year-old centre-back, Cascarino added:
"Obviously, William Saliba will be getting a lot of plaudits as well. He was at Marseille last year and they had a really good season, they came second in France and he played very, very well. Defensively, he was very sound. He looks really comfortable on the ball and doesn’t give the ball away easily."
Arsenal will next lock horns with Brendan Rodgers' Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in their second fixture on August 14.
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Tielemans, who is in the final year of his current deal at the King Power Stadium, has been an integral part of the Foxes' squad since joining from Monaco in 2019. The 25-year-old has featured in 158 matches, registering 24 goals and 24 assists in all competitions for the Foxes.