Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli might be more motivated to keep a clean sheet than score against Brentford.
It’s unclear whether the Brazilian will earn a rare consecutive start when the Bees visit the Emirates on matchday 14 of the Premier League season.
Martinelli was poor against Chelsea, giving Mikel Arteta something to think about ahead of naming his Arsenal XI to battle Brentford for three points.
While the 24-year-old is an asset for the Gunners in attack due to his pace, his focus on Wednesday night might actually be on what unfolds in defence.
The reason? Igor Thiago.
Gabriel Martinelli will be eager for William Saliba to return so Arsenal can stop Igor Thiago
Being a fellow Brazil international, one would assume that seeing Thiago do so well would be a good thing for Martinelli.
While it certainly is with a possible first Selecao call-up in mind, the Arsenal star will be wary that already, one of his Premier League records could be broken by the Brentford striker.
During the 2022/23 season, Martinelli matched the Premier League record for the most goals scored by a Brazilian player in a single season, finding the net 15 times.
The feat has since also been matched by Matheus Cunha, but when looking at Thiago’s numbers, it would be fair to assume that the record will be broken this season.
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That’s because Thiago only needs four to match Martinelli’s high-scoring campaign and just five to break it, which is a relatively simple task considering there are still 25 games left to play.
On matchday 14, Arsenal have the chance to slow down the striker’s scoring rate, something Martinelli will be wary of, which is why William Saliba’s return could be decisive.
Saliba missed out against Chelsea due to a knock, but is unbeaten against Brentford as an Arsenal player, giving the Frenchman an added incentive to return and replenish the back four, just in time to combat Thiago.
Martinelli’s scoring has heavily declined since his record
Thiago’s form is a minor concern for Martinelli, but his own lack of consistency is a far greater issue.
It’s understood that Arsenal are open to selling Martinelli, who, after having an incredible 2022/23 campaign, when he broke the scoring record, has declined.
| Season | Appearances | Goals |
| 2022/23 | 36 | 15 |
| 2023/24 | 36 | 6 |
| 2024/25 | 33 | 8 |
| 2025/26 | 9 | 1 |
After scoring 15 goals in the 2022/23 Premier League season, the Brazilian has netted just 15 league goals since, totalling over the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.
Martinelli’s lack of scoring form is a problem for Arsenal, who went from having a winger who could score 15 goals in a season to one who can’t be trusted to start matches anymore.
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