“Crack” – Emi Martinez impressed by Arsenal star during Gunners’ 3-1 Boxing Day win over West Ham
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was impressed by Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli's performance in the Gunners' 3-1 win over West Ham United on Boxing Day (26 December).
The Brazilian was on target as the Gunners picked up from where they left off in the Premier League seven weeks ago.
Said Benrahma's first-half penalty was canceled out by goals from Bukayo Saka, Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah after the break to strengthen Arsenal's position at the top of the table.
After the match, Martinelli posted a picture on his Instagram handle of himself celebrating his goal with the caption:
"Back to business [salute emoji]."
Martinez, a former Gunner who recently won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, was impressed with his former teammate and praised him in the comments. He wrote:
"Crack [fire emoji]."
Martinelli's current teammates, Saka and Reiss Nelson, also left encouraging remarks for the forward, who bagged his sixth goal of the season in the league on Monday. The Brazilian has grown into an important figure for Arsenal, nailing down a spot on the left side of their front three.
Martinelli's rise to prominence hasn't gone unnoticed on the international stage, with former Brazil head coach Tite calling him up six times this year. The youngster was part of the Canaries squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but played only 111 minutes, starting just once.
However, Martinelli is certain to play a bigger role in the team should he continue to impress with his performances.
Arsenal continue to pick up results in the Premier League
Against West Ham, Arsenal demonstrated their title credentials once again by responding well after going a goal down. Many expected the Gunners to struggle against the Hammers and drop points following a lengthy break.
Arsenal are FLYING on top of the Premier League table 👏 https://t.co/rPzeQWa75e
However, Arteta's side recovered from a slow start to turn on the style and dispatch their London rivals with a clinical display in the second half. Saka and Martinelli, two players who have been impressive this campaign, bagged a goal apiece, while Eddie Nketiah opened his top-flight account for the season.
The three stars all scored in the space of 16 minutes, ensuring that Gabriel Jesus wasn't missed. The Brazilian has been ruled out until March with a knee injury.