Arsenal told they have ‘outstanding’ talent similar to Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez

Arteta quizzed about Aubameyang as Arsenal defeat West Ham

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Arsenal’s superb win over West Ham on Wednesday showed that the team’s youthful new look could spell a new era for Mikel Arteta and the club. And no one showed that more than Gabriel Martinelli – with Joe Cole claiming the Brazilian to be an outstanding talent even worthy of comparison to the likes of Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez.

Martinelli, 20, joined Arsenal in 2019 from Brazilian side Ituano.

Having been behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah in the pecking order, chances at the Emirates have been few and far between for the Brazilian youngster.

Indeed, those chances weren’t helped by the forward’s six-month injury lay-off at the end of the 2019/20 season.

But with Aubameyang currently dropped due to disciplinary reasons, alongside Lacazette and Nketiah’s contracts expiring at the end of the season, Martinelli has been given more of the limelight in recent weeks under Arteta – including scoring in the 2-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday.

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And Cole has waxed lyrical about the prodigy, claiming he reminds him of Aguero.

“I left the stadium and I was driving away, I was thinking this is the first time in 10 years there’s something to work from with Arsenal, there’s a base,” Cole told BT Sport.

“This lad is outstanding, [Gabriel] Martinelli. I’ve always been a big fan of his.

“He reminds me of a young [Sergio] Aguero, who is busy, just like Alexis Sanchez.”

Arsenal are in the hunt for Champions League football, and went fourth in the Premier League with the victory pulling them away from city rivals West Ham and Tottenham.

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But Arteta has challenged his side to keep the run going in a bid for consistency.

“It was a big game for us having the capacity to go fourth and it was a statement. It [the position] is much better than we were and we want to be higher,” Arteta said after the win.

“We want to find consistency. This league is absolutely ruthless and whatever you do today, tomorrow is different.

“We needed a big performance and I think we did it. They were fully focused and wanted to show how strong we are as a team.

“The commitment and attitude they showed was what we wanted. We knew we had to play well today to beat West Ham and we did.”

The Gunners now lie fourth in the Premier League for the first time in over two years.

And they will have a chance to improve on their league position with a win over struggling Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday.

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