“Everyone has talked about Saka and Odegaard” – Micah Richards claims ‘frightening’ Arsenal star does not get enough credit
English pundit Micah Richards has praised Arsenal attacker Gabriel Martinelli, claiming that he is underrated. He believes the Brazilian's acceleration makes him dangerous and creates a difference for the Gunners in transition.
Arsenal will take on Manchester City in a crucial Premier League clash on Wednesday, April 26, in what is being dubbed a winners-takes-all game. The two sides are battling for the league title, and three points from the encounter will push one of the sides towards the trophy.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Richards said he was in awe of Martinelli. He believes the other Arsenal players take most of the credit, while the Brazilian goes unnoticed. He said:
"His pace is frightening. Everyone has talked about Saka and Odegaard, and the two defenders, Gabriel, Saliba, Ramsdale, but not that many people talk about Martinelli. In transition, he is frightening."
The Gunners are currently five points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the league table, but have played two more games than Pep Guardiola's men.
Mikel Arteta has high praise for Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli
Mikel Arteta reserved high praise for Gabriel Martinelli after the Brazilian signed a new deal at the club. He said that the forward is a huge talent and he is looking forward to working with him for many more seasons at Arsenal.
He told the club's official website:
"We're delighted Gabi has signed a new long-term contract. Our supporters see his quality and energy every single time he puts on the shirt and he's the same every day in training, with his hard work and positive values. Gabi is still very young, so we know there's still much more to come from him and it's great that we'll be on this journey together. We're now excited to continue to develop his huge talent and look forward to seeing him perform with Arsenal in the years to come."
Arteta spoke highly of the forward's mentality and said:
"They were a team around him straight away. But he is not someone who is very concerned with this part of football. He takes responsibility, chances, and when you see him running around the next day with that energy, honestly I wasn't very concerned about it."
Martinelli had a low point this season when he missed a crucial penalty against Sporting in the Europa League. However, he bounced back and helped them win 4-1 in their next match against Crystal Palace.