There were flashes of the Gabriel Martinelli from seasons past in the second half against Liverpool on Sunday.
After switching positions with Leandro Trossard to go from the left wing to a false nine, the Brazilian came alive, seizing the central role with intent and urgency.
His sharp movement and hunger to pierce the opposition backline with runs off the ball gave Virgil van Dijk and Co a new problem.
Just two minutes after the interval, Martinelli halved the deficit, heading in Trossard’s cross to kickstart the Gunners’ fightback to a hard-earned point.
The result was a sigh of relief for the visitors, still smarting over their Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain and looking to securing Champions League football for next season before their remaining league games against Newcastle and Southampton.
Yet, Mikel Arteta’s tactical tweak also showcased a side to Martinelli’s game that has often gone missing this season – his ability to be a direct goal threat.
Gabriel Martinelli rose highest to bring Arsenal back into the game on Sunday, having shifted up front from his usual left wing position
Martinelli had spent most of the first half on the left, up against Liverpool’s Conor Bradley
Too often, he has found himself limited to hugging the touchline, driving to the byline or recycling possession
Too often, he has found himself limited to hugging the touchline, driving to the byline or recycling possession. But against the Reds, he rampaged through the centre, buzzing between the lines to offer himself as a constant option.
As his heat map on Sunday showed, he registered more touches in the centre of the penalty area than in any other league match this season.
With Mikel Merino suspended after being sent off at Anfield and Trossard an injury doubt for Sunday’s clash against Newcastle, Martinelli is Arteta’s most viable central option.
It presents a final opportunity this season for the 22-year-old to showcase his talents in a position he clearly thrives in ahead of an important summer for both he and Arsenal.
As reported by Mail Sport last week, Arsenal have opened talks with Trossard over a new contract reaching to 2029.
They are also expected to go into the transfer market for a new left winger, having looked at bolstering the position since last year. Athletic Club’s Nico Williams tops the list, and if he were to arrive this summer Martinelli could find himself battling for minutes from the bench.
It leaves the Brazilian in a delicate position following two mixed seasons, as Arsenal’s ambitions intensify after five years without silverware.
He has been touted as a player Arsenal could sell in a bid to gather serious funds for a summer of marquee signings, most chiefly a striker, to bridge the gap and win silverware.
Gabriel Martinelli’s touch map in the second half against Liverpool showed how he took up a far more central role
Compare that to his heat map in the first half, which was closer to the usual Martinelli, hugging the left-hand touchline
His touch map for the season shows much of the same, locked to the left flank
Mail Sport understands that he remains part of Arteta’s plans going forward. He is well-regarded by the manager, and by team-mates too, who regularly note his electric pace – arguably the fastest in the squad.
He is a player that relies on confidence, which was understood to be dented in the previous campaign after a foot injury sustained against Sheffield United in March last year which left him with a deep cut.
During his absence, Trossard hit scintillating form – scoring five goals in the final eight league games.
When he joined for £6million from Brazilian lower-league side Ituano in 2019, Martinelli often played in a central position under Unai Emery, whereas once Arteta took over in December that year the Spaniard saw him more as a left winger.
There was the initial barrier of settling in England, having arrived unable to speak English, but on the pitch he gradually developed into a first-team starter.
The 2022-23 season saw Martinelli strike 15 league goals and provide six assists in his most productive campaign to date. It was a major step forward, which has made the past two seasons a tricky assessment.
The numbers in terms of league goals and assists are down from then (six goals and four assists last season, eight goals and four assists this season), and beyond the statistics Martinelli has not hit the heights many assumed he would reach after that landmark campaign.
Martinelli scored 15 Premier League goals in 2022-23 but has failed to hit those heights since
It was a major step forward, which has made the past two seasons a tricky assessment
Martinelli faces a career-defining summer — one that he will hope keeps him at the heart of Arsenal’s next silverware tilt
A hamstring injury in February that ruled him out for a month stalled his momentum, but more concerning has been a lack of conviction around goal at odds to the attacking threat he has previously posed.
It has often frustrated supporters and occasionally stalled his team in attacks from the left flank.
Still, as seen against Liverpool, his blistering pace creates chaos in one-on-one situations, and his 15-goal campaign proves he has the composure to finish.
Now, he faces a career-defining summer – one that he will hope keeps him at the heart of Arsenal’s next silverware tilt.
