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Former Premier League player turned pundit Danny Simpson believes Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League could be compromised if Gabriel Martinelli continues to be a regular starter at the north London club.
Since moving to Arsenal from Ituano in 2019, Martinelli's performance has fluctuated significantly. The Brazilian winger registered 16 goal contributions across competitions for the Gunners last season.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's side have endured heartbreaks in the Premier League in recent years, finishing second in each of the last three seasons. They look set to put an end to their near misses in the English top flight, having won each of their first two games this season.
Speaking on the*Beyond the Four* podcast, Simpson expressed his admiration for Martinelli’s style of play but opined that the Gunners may once again fall short in the title race if the winger retains his place in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI. The former Manchester United and Leicester City defender said:
“When those players come in it can raise your game. I think that’s what Arsenal have missed – Madueke coming off the bench, obviously Havertz is injured now, but coming off the bench, Martinelli having a bit of competition. I’ve been saying the last two years, I love him as a player, he’s direct, Martinelli, but I just didn’t think they would win the league with just him out there. Now obviously Eze – top, top, top player.”
Martinelli played for 60 minutes in Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Manchester United but was an unused substitute during their 5-0 rout of Leeds United.
Danny Simpson believes the center-back duo will be crucial to Arsenal’s title chances
Speaking further, Simpson claimed Arsenal have a strong chance of winning the Premier League if William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes remain fit all season. Saliba and Gabriel have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of the Gunners’ defense, which has been a huge factor in the club’s revival in recent seasons.
Simpson continued:
“For me, I think Saliba and Gabriel – if those two stay fit the whole season… when one of them’s missing, they don’t look right. And I think those two, I think they’re the best centre-back pairing in the league. I think if those two stay fit, and you’ve got all these attacking players now that can score you goals at any moment, I think they’re going to be right up there. I think this is the time that he has to win a league this year for me, you’ve spent all that money now, but keeping those two fit with David Raya behind them I think is key.”
In the 2023-24 season, Saliba and Gabriel helped anchored an Arsenal defense that conceded just 29 goals - the fewest in the league, altough they ultimately finished behind Manchester City in the standings.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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