When he signed in the summer, the prospect of Gabriel Martinelli leading the line for Arsenal in Europe this season seemed unlikely.
Ahead of the 18-year-old in the pecking order was Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as England Under-21 international Eddie Nketiah.
However, circumstances have swiftly changed and it is why Martinelli finds himself in line to feature for Arsenal tonight, when they host Standard Liege in the Europa League.
Aubameyang is due a well-earned rest after playing 720 minutes of football this season, while Lacazette is out with an ankle injury and Nketiah is on loan at Leeds United.
With Arsenal Under-23 strikers Folarin Balogun and Tyreece John-Jules both injured, too, one can see how Martinelli’s chance to shine has come about so fast.
Gunners head coach Unai Emery said: “He is with us because he deserves to be with us. Pre-season was his chance to show and to work with us and we are very, very happy with him. He is a very fast player and that is a quality that is very important.
“He gives us good pressing without the ball, good pace in the final third, chances to score and he’s getting better. He is young but if his performances are getting better every day, it is good for him to carry on being with us.”
Martinelli has already had a chance to impress this season after making his full debut against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup last month. That night the Brazilian scored twice and led the line superbly in the absence of Aubameyang but that position is not where Emery sees Martinelli’s long-term future. “We used him in training and against Nottingham Forest as a striker,” said the Spaniard.
“It is not the best position for him but he played well and he played there sometimes in Brazil but he can play right or left.”
While Martinelli would perhaps prefer to break into the Arsenal team out wide, he will have no complaints about the opportunity that has been presented to him.
The Europa League is the perfect stage for Arsenal youngsters to shine.Last year it was midfielder Joe Willock, now a regular in Emery’s Premier League squads, who seized the chance presented, while only last month Bukayo Saka used the game at Eintracht Frankfurt to announce himself.
Saka, 18, scored a goal and assisted in two others and since then he has made his full Premier League debut.
“I give the young players chances to be with us in training. If they deserve it, I give them chances to play and after, if they are playing well, they have more chances to play,” said Emery.
