Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli names Manchester City's Kyle Walker and Liverpool defender as 2 players who are 'tough to beat'
Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli has named Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker and Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate as the two toughest players to beat in one-on-ones.
Walker, 34, has been a first-team regular for City since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2017. He has made 317 appearances across competitions, contributing six goals and 23 assists, winning 17 titles, including six Premier League and one UEFA Champions League honour.
Meanwhile, Konate, 25, has five goals and three assists in 106 games across competitions, having arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021. The Frenchman has made a name for himself as a no-nonsense defender, bagging a goal and an assist in 11 games this season for the Premier League leaders.
In an interaction with Men in Blazers podcast (via Metro), Martinelli said about the two toughest defenders in the Premier League at the moment:
"It has to be Walker and Konate from Liverpool. They are both tough to beat."
Throwing a sneak peek into his strategy to beat defenders, the Brazilian continued:
"It’s instinct. I just see how he is, how his body is, and I just try to do what I do and try to beat him."
Martinelli's Gunners are fourth in the Premier League, with 19 points from 11 games, behind third-placed Chelsea on goal difference, following the two London rivals' 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge at the weekend.
What's next for Arsenal?
Arsenal have had a slump in form after a bright start to the season. Since suffering their first defeat of the campaign - a 2-0 Premier League loss at Bournemouth - Mikel Arteta's side have won twice in six games across competitions.
They are riding a three-game winless run at the moment, losing twice - a Premier League loss at Newcastle United followed by a loss by the same scoreline at Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
Following the ongoing international break, Arteta's side will look to return to winning ways when they host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on November 23. The Gunners are winless in four league games, losing twice, as they seek to win their first league title since their historic 2003-04 'Invincibles' triumph.
Following the Forest game, the Gunners travel to Sporting CP in the Champions League three days later. The Primeira Liga leaders followed up a 4-1 win over Manchester City with a 4-2 league win at Braga at the weekend.