Gary Neville has been full of praise for one of Arsenal’s stars, who has really impressed him this season at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have made a strong start to the new Premier League campaign, making it three wins from four with an impressive victory over Nottingham Forest.
Mikel Arteta’s side blew Ange Postecoglou’s new team away, with Martin Zubimendi netting a brace and Viktor Gyokeres adding to his tally for the season.
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Gary Neville has now been discussing one of Arsenal’s latest additions and made a shock comparison with a footballing legend.
Noni Madueke of Arsenal is challenged by Neco Williams of Nottingham Forest during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Gary Neville compares Noni Madueke to Arjen Robben
Neville has suggested that Noni Madueke actually reminds him of Arjen Robben, despite not quite being at that level yet.
The former Manchester United defender said the winger was making runs for England against Serbia, which gave him flashbacks of when he faced Robben.
Just like with Martin Keown, Madueke has shocked the 50-year-old with just how good he has been for Arsenal, and Neville thinks Bukayo Saka now faces competition for his spot.
Neville told The Gary Neville Podcast: “Madueke, Eze… When you think about Martinelli and Saka, you thought they’d dominate the left and right wing of Arsenal for the next five, ten years.
“Obviously, Saka will come back in and Martinelli will also play games, but Madueke is a lot better than I imagined he would be, and Arsenal fans felt he would be.
“A couple of runs he made for England on Tuesday night were a different level, they were runs I thought ‘Arjen Robben used to make those runs against me’. I’m giving you players of a level where you think, ‘I’m up against it, this is a different type of player…’
“Sometimes you play against wingers who are dribbling at you, and you know they’ve got a trick, and you’re in for a difficult day.
“Then you’ve got players who are like a step above, now, I’m not saying Madueke is there yet, but his movement and the things he’s doing are very, very good.
“Eze looks like he’s got that little bit of something, well, he has got that something, so you look at those two now.”
Gary Neville explains why Martin Zubimendi is so important for Arsenal
Neville also believes that the arrival of a midfielder like Zubimendi was just as important as adding a striker over the summer.
The Sky Sports pundit felt the Gunners needed a player who would allow Declan Rice to play higher and someone who could get the ball into Martin Odegaard quicker.
“I actually thought he was as important a signing as Gyokeres because I think that when I saw Arsenal last season, I actually thought there were moments where Joringho played where he just pops those balls through lines,” added Neville.
“It’s interesting how Declan Rice is now being used by Mikel Arteta but also by Thomas Tuchel in that advanced role. I think that’s where Declan Rice should be, up at the top of the pitch, not receiving it off his back four.
“That’s not to say he can’t do it in certain matches, but Zubimendi, I thought they really needed that type of player Arsenal to receive the ball in there and then pop it through into Odegaard quicker, get it forward quicker, break the lines.”