Arsenal lost against title rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick in the 83rd minute was the difference between the two teams, snatching the Merseysiders three points from a cagey affair.
Mikel Arteta’s team have been criticised for their approach, with many feeling the Spaniard opted for overly conservative tactics and named too pragmatic a line-up when Liverpool were there for the taking.
The result sees Arne Slot’s side move three points clear of Arsenal in the table after three matches, meaning the Gunners already have a deficit to overturn.
Robbie Mustoe says Gabriel Martinelli did ‘important stuff’ for Arsenal vs Liverpool
Gabriel Martinelli struggled against Liverpool on Sunday.
The Brazilian was selected over Eberechi Eze, to many fans’ disgruntlement, primarily for the defensive output that he offers.
While he fulfilled his defensive duties diligently, he provided minimal attacking threat for the Gunners and was eventually replaced by Eze in the second half.
Arsenal fans described Martinelli’s performance as ‘shocking’, and he certainly won’t be in contention to start against Nottingham Forest after the international break.
Despite this criticism, Robbie Mustoe has highlighted the defensive work the winger did do as ‘important’ for the Gunners.
“I remember looking closely at Martinelli during this game, because I knew what was going to happen,” the pundit said on the 2 Robbies podcast.
“I know that I’d rather have Eze in there, but Martinelli still does important stuff without the ball.
“There are a couple of challenges that he made, he showed up in and around the box, he tracks his full back. Stuff that when you go away to the champions, it’s an important part of it.”
Robbie Mustoe’s point about Gabriel Martinelli is valid
Martinelli’s defensive work against Liverpool was important.
The home team finished the match with fewer shots than the Gunners, having created fewer expected goals than they have done at Anfield in any game since March 2021.
This data shows that this was undeniably an impressive defensive showing from Arsenal, and this was a collective effort, meaning Martinelli deserves plaudits for his contribution.
It’s possible that a less defensively capable player like Eze wouldn’t have been able to offer what the 24-year-old was able to.
That said, the former Crystal Palace man almost certainly would’ve offered significantly more going forward than Martinelli, and it may have been worth making a slight trade-off defensively for this increased offensive firepower.
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