Why Gabriel Martinelli was so angry with Ethan Nwaneri during Preston vs Arsenal in EFL Cup

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Arsenal secured a convincing 3-0 win over Preston North End in the EFL Cup.

Mikel Arteta named a fairly strong line-up at Deepdale, with just two teenagers starting the game.

Experienced pros like Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Oleksandr Zinchenko all got the nod, but Arsenal’s star of the show against Preston was Ethan Nwaneri.

However, before he ran the show, the teenager did something that appeared to have annoyed Gabriel Martinelli.

Gabriel Martinelli was angry with Ethan Nwaneri during Preston vs Arsenal

Arteta made eight changes to his Arsenal side against Preston on Wednesday night.

Martinelli was one of just three players to keep his place from the Liverpool game, and the Brazilian had a very good evening.

He started on the left flank, looked really sharp and caused Preston right-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden all sorts of problems throughout his time on the pitch.

In the 15th minute of the game, Martinelli found himself in a lot of space inside the box on the left, and he seemed desperate to get on the ball.

However, Nwaneri, who received the ball from Sterling on the right, decided to shoot instead but missed the target. Martinelli was visibly upset with the youngster’s decision, as was Jesus, who was also in a better position inside the box.

Martinelli was the more annoyed one – he was seen pointing to his feet, suggesting that he was free, and jumped up in frustration.

Nwaneri redeemed himself later in the first half, scoring an absolute stunner from outside the box. He had a fine game and deserves all the praise he’s getting.

READ MORE: Ethan Nwaneri did something vs Preston that no other Arsenal player has done before, not even Cesc Fabregas

Why Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players weren’t surprised by Nwaneri’s goal

Nwaneri has been incredible whenever he has played for Arsenal this season.

The 17-year-old has started two games in the EFL Cup so far and has scored three times. His strike from outside the box against Preston has to be his best goal yet.

Arsenal fans in the away end at Deepdale were all on their feet when Nwaneri smashed the ball into the top corner, but Arteta and his players weren’t overly surprised.

That’s because Nwaneri scored a near-identical goal in Arsenal training a day before the game, Arteta said in his press conference on Wednesday night.

Nwaneri is a superstar in the making, and we expect to see many more goals like the one against Preston in the coming months and years.