Arsenal’s excellent performance against Leeds on Saturday evening highlighted the new attacking revelation that will allow the Gunners to confidently fight for a top-four place.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were exceptional whilst operating as inside forwards on either side of the pitch, as both youngsters got on the scoresheet, and Mikel Arteta’s side showed an attacking intent that they have been seriously lacking during games earlier in the season.
The success of wing players has also eased the burden on Alexandre Lacazette who has been tasked with getting the goals in the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Aubameyang has been left out of three consecutive matchday squads after it emerged that he had breached the club's disciplinary rules.
The Gunners had been heavily reliant on the 32-year-old to score the goals in recent seasons, as another source of output has been rare to find since Arteta took over as manager in 2019.
However, in recent weeks Martinelli and Saka have shown that they are more than capable of filling that void, as they have been causing havoc to the opposition defence in recent games.
The rise of Martinelli came after his impressive cameo against Newcastle, where he scored a magnificent volley to secure all three points.
Since this game, Arteta has started the Brazilian in every match and has utilised him in an inside forward role which has worked a treat.
Arsenal have scored more than one goal in three consecutive games for the first time this season since Martinelli reclaimed a place in the side, and it is his attacking threat alongside his energy in the final third, why the team boasts this statistic.
But it is also due to the success of Saka on the wing opposite Martinelli. The 20-year-old has been a sensation yet again so far in this campaign.
His impressive displays in more of an inside forward position under Arteta helped him be nominated for the 2021 Kopa trophy which has been previously won by the likes of French star Kylian Mbappe.
With Saka and Martinelli differing in their favoured foot, it means both players are able to cut inside on their stronger leg and cause more problems in the direction of the goal, creating many issues for the opposition's defence in recent games.
Lacazette has been tasked with replacing Aubameyang’s goals, but the burden has certainly been eased due to the prolific nature of the two wingers.
It finally seems as though Arteta has found the perfect attacking formula to get Arsenal back into the Champions League places.
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