One Arsenal player was spotted using crutches after the Gunners’ 2-1 win against Brentford on Saturday evening.
Gabriel Martinelli was not fit to make the Arsenal squad against Brentford.
The Brazilian winger limped off the pitch against Sheffield United last time out. After that match, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Martinelli had sustained a gash to his foot.
A few days ago it was reported that Arsenal were still “sweating” on Martinelli’s availability ahead of this clash against the Bees at the Emirates Stadium. This suggests that the 22-year-old was not expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
However, according to journalist Tom Canton, reporting on X, Martinelli was seen “on crutches” after the final whistle on Saturday evening. This, of course, does not bode well for his potential involvement on Tuesday evening, when the north London club will contest a hugely important fixture against Porto.
Arteta will be desperate to name his strongest starting XI when Arsenal take on the Portuguese outfit in the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. The Gunners are already 1-0 down on aggregate, after being beaten at the Estadio do Dragao. It will be a huge blow if Martinelli is sidelined for the second-leg match.
How Arsenal can cope without Gabriel Martinelli against Porto
However, Arteta does have alternative options to call upon. Against the Bees, for instance, Leandro Trossard was deployed on the left flank in Martinelli’s absence. The Belgian does not have Martinelli’s searing pace or directness, but he is extremely technically proficient and can be a lethal finisher. He did a solid job against the Bees, but he does not look at his best on the wing, and is more effective in central areas.
There have also been calls for Gabriel Jesus to be used out wide on the left, especially whilst Kai Havertz is in such good form up front. The German got on the scoresheet again against Brentford, as he nodded in a late winner from close range to send Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table.
If Arsenal are without Martinelli on Tuesday then it will be fascinating to see how Arteta adapts to deal with the situation. He will certainly be hoping that the attacker can return to action as soon as possible, especially as Martinelli has been in such good form in recent weeks as part of an Arsenal attacking unit that has been tearing opponents apart.