Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table after a superb start to the season, but face their trickiest test so far with the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates this Saturday. The Gunners only previous match against a 'big six' side this campaign ended in a closely fought defeat to Manchester United that has given ammo to many who have accused them of being flat track bullies.
A victory over Antonio Conte 's men would be the perfect antidote to such criticism and with such a tough test on the horizon, Mikel Arteta will want all his best players available to him. Unfortunately though, injuries are beginning pile up for Arsenal.
Kieran Tierney should be fit after missing Scotland's 0-0 draw with Ukraine but there is still some doubt over Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey, although football.london understands the Gunners are hopeful all four will be available. Regardless of that though, there is one essential player who Arteta will be thankful that he can call upon.
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Gabriel Martinelli has been outstanding in his start to the season so far. The Brazilian just about edged Emile Smith Rowe in a closely fought battle for the starting spot on the left wing last campaign and has gone from strength to strength since then.
He has struck up a formidable partnership already with Gabriel Jesus and is part of a fluid front line involving Bukayo Saka that has proved impossible for any Premier League defence to keep out so far. On a personal note, he has also upped the impressive end product to his game, grabbing three goals.
For all his individual success though, what tends to go under the radar with Martinelli is the work he does for the team. The Brazilian is up in the 92nd percentile for pressure made in the final third among Europe's top five leagues in the past year (as per fbRef) and has a considerable role in creating for his teammates too.
According to Opta, Martinelli has been involved in 46 sequences of play that have led Arsenal to have a shot this season. The only player in the Premier League capable of matching that is Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, while the number puts him above Mohamed Salah at Liverpool.
It's quite the turnaround for Martinelli, who this time last year was not even a regular starter for the Gunners. His impressive displays have not gone unnoticed by Arteta who waited until December to throw him in regularly last season.
"When he wasn't playing, he was all the time in my office and every time showing me on the pitch how wrong I was," said Arteta. "And, (from) the moment that we agreed that he was ready to do it, the way he has improved, the way he is helping the team and still the room for improvement he has is phenomenal.
"He's just a sad boy (when he's not playing). He loves what he does. He's so eager to do whatever it takes for him to play that he's all the time there, pushing you and giving you the right reasons to give him more minutes. It's just a joy to watch the freedom and personality that he plays with."
Martinelli will be hoping to continue his fine form with an impressive display in the North London Derby this Saturday. The 21-year-old is yet to score against Tottenham, and will be keen to put that right in front of the Emirates crowd.
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