Gabriel Martinelli wasn’t Arsenal’s only shining light in the Gunners’ draw against Manchester City.
It’s been quite the week for Martinelli, who scored and assisted to break the deadlock in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Athletic Club on Tuesday night.
Days later, the Brazilian was the man of the moment against Man City, scoring in the 93rd minute to level the game with a sensational goal.
Martinelli will earn all the plaudits, but the winger’s chance wouldn’t have come without the brilliance of Eberechi Eze.
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Gary Lineker shouts out Eberechi Eze’s impact against Manchester City
Gary Neville credited Martinelli and Eze’s impact against City, as the pair came off the bench to combine for the decisive equaliser.
It took Mikel Arteta 45 minutes to realise that the Englishman’s creative excellence was needed, and in the dying embers, the playmaker made all the difference.
Martinelli’s finish was sublime, but Gary Lineker wanted to draw attention to the ball Eze played over to his teammate upon spotting his run.
“Martinelli timed his run perfectly, and Eze’s pass was exquisite,” Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
The Brazil international would’ve thanked his lucky stars that Eze was the man on the ball to play the pass over the top, with the execution inch-perfect to carve the chance out of nowhere.
After the game, Martinelli applauded the service he got from his teammate, but in truth, it was all about the 24-year-old’s finish.
Gabriel Martinelli’s wasn’t meant to score against Man City
Though Martinelli’s partner predicted his impact on the game, the numbers suggest that the winger should’ve never found the back of the net.
Martinelli’s shot recorded just 0.20xG (expected goals), meaning that, based on similar scenarios, his chance would’ve only had a 20% probability of going over the line, as per Sofascore.
It was a tremendous finish from the Brazilian, who took the shot off balance, under pressure and on the outside of his foot.
Arguably the world’s best goalkeeper was left in no-man’s land because of Martinelli’s effort, a chance in the dying embers that deserves to be celebrated like a winner.
From Eze’s pass to Martinelli’s finish, it was a moment of magic that, above anything else, got Arsenal out of jail.
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