Andy Townsend was last night left astonished by Gabriel Martinelli’s speed in Arsenal’s 4-1 win against Newcastle United.
The Gunners extended their winning run in the Premier League to six with the north London side putting the Magpies to the sword in stunning fashion, with Jorginho again running the show from midfield.
With Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka all scoring on the night, Martinelli again missed out on putting his name on the scoresheet despite looking dangerous throughout the entire game for Arsenal.
And speaking on Sky Sports Germany’s English coverage of the match, Townsend was blown away by one piece of acceleration from Martinelli in the opening half against the Toon.
In the 33rd minute, the 22-year-old Brazilian international somehow managed to beat three Newcastle players to the ball despite being the furthest away from the action, with Martinelli then skying the ball high with a wild shot.
Townsend said: “Martinelli really showed his speed there. He’s miles away from the ball yet he somehow beats every Newcastle player, even if the shot is way off target.”
Gabriel Martinelli has to start being more clinical again for Arsenal
It seems almost incredible to believe that in the last six Premier League games where Arsenal have managed an outstanding 25 goals, Martinelli has only bagged three during this period.
The forward was last season one of Arsenal’s most reliable goalscorers, with Martinelli showcasing talents in front of goal that made the Brazilian look like a natural in putting the ball at the back of the net.
Yet this campaign has been different for the forward, with Martinelli lacking that extra edge of quality when making the final shot that last year made the winger a killer in front of goal.
With Martinelli still retaining the type of pace that makes Premier League defenders shake in their boots, the forward is doing little with this talent to get the best out of his qualities, with the 22-year-old not looking like his normal self.
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