Arsenal picked up a 2-1 win against Manchester United, and one player looks like he is back to his best.
Mikel Arteta named a much stronger lineup than he did against Bournemouth in the first game of the Gunners’ pre-season tour, but there was still space for a few youngsters.
Ethan Nwaneri blew Arsenal fans away with a very impressive display, while young Ayden Heaven made a huge comeback after an initial mistake.
Many of Arsenal’s first-team players did well too, and one of them, in particular, showed us that he is back to his best after what was an underwhelming 2023/24 season.
Gabriel Martinelli shines as Arsenal beat Manchester United
Gabriel Martinelli is one of Arsenal’s most exciting players.
The Brazilian showed his quality by scoring 15 goals in the 2022/23 season. He was unbelievable that year, and many expected him to go up a level in the following campaign.
However, injuries affected Martinelli in 2023/24 and Arsenal’s lack of balance on the left side did not do him any favours either. That’s why he ended the season with just eight goals in all competitions.
Many Arsenal supporters have been urging Arteta to sign a new winger this summer, and Nico Williams has been heavily linked with Arsenal as a result.
However, Martinelli has silenced many of his doubters with a stunning display against Manchester United.
The former Ituano man came on in the 71st minute and looked really sharp. He was ready to go and that’s very impressive as Martinelli only joined up with the Arsenal squad on Thursday.
The Brazilian took on Manchester United’s defenders at will, his pace and dribbling gave them nightmares, and he even scored the winner.
Martinelli also converted his penalty in the meaningless shootout after the game.
We were really impressed with how sharp Martinelli looked against Manchester United, and we feel he is back to his best now after a difficult 2023/24 season.
Mikel Arteta should change his transfer plan
Signing a player like Spain and Athletic Bilbao’s Williams will surely raise the excitement levels at the Emirates Stadium, but do Arsenal even need him?
Yes, the Spaniard is an outstanding player, and his performances for La Roja at Euro 2024 impressed everyone.
However, we think Martinelli is more than capable of doing what Williams does.
That’s why Arteta should change his transfer plan – instead of looking for a right-footed left-winger who can also play on the right like Williams, he should prioritise the opposite side of the pitch.
Arsenal need a like-for-like backup for Bukayo Saka on the right wing, and we think strengthening that position is significantly more important than bringing in competition for Martinelli.
We have a feeling Martinelli’s performance against Manchester United will force Arteta to change his stance on signing Williams.
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